Skip to main content

Full text of "Aerospace America December 2014"

See other formats 


TWO BAD DAYS 

Questioning conventional 
wisdom after Antares, 
Virgin Galactic/Page 4 

A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS 





31 AUGUST - 2 SEPTEMBER 2015 

WHY PARTICIPATE? 

AIAA SPACE 2015 combines the best aspects of 
technical conferences with insights from respected 
leaders, providing a single, integrated forum for 
navigating the key challenges and opportunities 
affecting the future direction of global space policy, 
capabilities, planning, research and development, 
funding, security, environmental issues, and 
international markets. 

1 . Bringing together almost 1 ,000 participants from 
more than 300 institutions in 20 countries, AIAA 
SPACE 2015 is the place to engage with colleagues 
within your discipline and to interact with experts 
in other disciplines. 

2. When you present your work at AIAA SPACE 
2015, your paper will be archived in AlAA's 
Aerospace Research Central (ARC), where it will 
gain exposure to more than 2 million visitors each 
year from more than 200 countries around the 
world. 

3. When you submit an ITAR-restricted paper, you 
are participating in the ITAR program, as well as 
gaining access to the entire AIAA SPACE 2015 
program. 

4. Your paper may be considered for publication in 
one of AlAA's prestigious journals, each ranked 
in the top ten of all aerospace engineering peer- 
reviewed publications. 

5. Your paper may be considered for a best paper 
award, enhancing your reputation among peers. 


Sign up to be notified when v 
the Call for Papers opens: 

aiaa-space.org 


O 


2015 


PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 



"Your return on investmer 
will be high. The multiple 
opportunities you have 
to advance your career 
personally by learning / 
to advance your career 
professionally by 
networking... is worth the 
price of admission." 

— Lt. Gen. Larry D. James, USAF (Ret.), NASA Jet 
Propulsion Laboratory 




Shaping the Future of Aerospace 


15-526 



AER05MCE 


A M E R 


C A 


December 2014 


EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK 2 

LETTER TO THE EDITOR 3 

TWO BAD DAYS 4 

With the industry eager to understand and move beyond two launch failures 
in a matter of days, Teal Group analyst Marco Caceres examines the strategies 
that brought the industry to this point. 
by Marco Caceres 

OUT OF THE PAST 78 

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES 80 


THE YEAR IN REVIEW 

The most important developments as described by AIAA’s Technical and Program 
Committees 


Adaptive Structures 1 0 

Aeroacoustics 18 

Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems 30 
Aerospace Power Systems 56 

Air Transportation Systems 33 

Air-Breathing Propulsion Systems 

Integration 57 

Aircraft Design 31 

Aircraft Operations 32 

Applied Aerodynamics 19 

Astrodynamics 20 

Atmospheric and Space Environments 21 
Atmospheric Flight Mechanics 22 

Communications Systems 42 

Computer Systems 43 

Design Engineering 11 

Digital Avionics 44 

Electric Propulsion 58 

Flight Testing 34 

Fluid Dynamics 23 

Gas Turbine Engines 59 

Green Engineering 48 

Ground Testing 24 

Guidance, Navigation, and Control 25 
High-Speed Air-Breathing Propulsion 60 
History 38 

Hybrid Rockets 61 

HyTASP 49 

Intelligent Systems 45 

Legal Aspects 39 

Life Sciences and Systems 66 

Lighter-Than-Air Systems 35 

Liquid Propulsion 62 

Management 40 


BULLETIN 

AIAA Meeting Schedule 
AIAA News 


Meshing, Visualization 
and Computational Environments 26 
Microgravity and Space Processes 67 

Missile Systems 68 

Multidisciplinary Design Optimization 1 2 
Non-Deterministic Approaches 13 

Nuclear and Future Flight Propulsion 63 
Plasmadynamics and Lasers 27 

Pressure Gain Combustion 50 

Product Support 36 

Propellants and Combustion 64 

Reusable Launch Vehicles 51 

Sensor Systems 46 

Software 47 

Solid Rockets 65 

Space Architecture 69 

Space Automation and Robotics 70 

Space Colonization 71 

Space Environmental Systems 52 

Space Exploration 53 

Space Operations and Support 72 

Space Resources 73 

Space Systems 74 

Space Tethers 75 

Space Transportation 76 

Spacecraft Structures 14 

Structural Dynamics 15 

Structures 16 

Survivability 17 

Thermophysics 28 

Transformational Flight 54 

V/STOL 37 

Weapon System Effectiveness 77 


B2 

B5 



Aerospace America (ISSN 0740-722X) is published monthly by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. at 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, Va. 20191-4344 [703/264-7500], 
Subscription rate is 50% of dues for AIAA members (and is not deductible therefrom). Nonmember subscription price: U.S., $200; foreign, $220. Single copies $20 each. Postmaster: Send 
address changes and subscription orders to address above, attention AIAA Customer Service, 703/264-7500. Periodical postage paid at Herndon, Va., and at additional mailing offices. 
Copyright 2014 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., all rights reserved. The name Aerospace America is registered by the AIAA in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. 
40,000 copies of this issue printed. This is Volume 52, No. 11 




AEROSPACE 



is a publication of the American Institute of 
Aeronautics and Astronautics 

Ben lannotta 

Editor-in-Chief 

Jack Wittman 

Associate Editor 

Greg Wilson 

Production Editor 

Jerry Grey 

Editor-at-Large 

Christine Williams 

Editor AIAA Bulletin 

Contributing Writers 

Marco Caceres, Robert van der Linden, 
Frank H. Winter 

Jane Fitzgerald 

Art Direction and Design 

James F. Albaugh, President 

Sandra H. Magnus, Publisher 

Craig By I, Manufacturing and Distribution 

STEERING COMMITTEE 

Steven E. Gorrell, Brigham Young University; 

David R. Riley, Boeing; Mary L. Snitch, 

Lockheed Martin; Vigor Yang, Georgia 
Institute of Technology; Annalisa Weigel, 
Fairmont Consulting Group; Susan X. Ying 

EDITORIAL BOARD 

Ned Allen, Jean-Michel Contant, 

Eugene Covert, L.S. "Skip" Fletcher, 
Michael Francis, Cam Martin, 

Don Richardson, Douglas Yazell 

ADVERTISING 

Joan Daly, 703-938-5907 

joan@dalyllc.com 

Pat Walker, 415-387-7593 
walkercom 1 @aol. com 

LETTERS AND CORRESPONDENCE 

Ben lannotta, beni@aiaa.org 

QUESTIONS AND ADDRESS CHANGES 

custserv@aiaa.org 

ADVERTISING MATERIALS 

Craig By I, craigb@aiaa.org 

December 2014, Vol. 52, No. 11 


(gj AfA A 

Shaping the Future of Aerospace 



Bflt ■ 

Editor's Notebook 



9m 

Finishing strong in 201 4 



I’ve never seen a period richer with emotions for space exploration and adven- 
ture enthusiasts than the closing weeks of 2014. There were the cries of awe 
and fright from onlookers when an unmanned Antares rocket exploded. Then 
came the soul-rattling loss of SpaceShipTwo, followed by the hugs of joy in a 
European Space Agency control room with confirmation that the Philae space- 
craft had touched down on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. 

These events are good reminders that when we go to space, we learn things 
about ourselves and our societies. Whether there are people aboard or robots with 
cameras, space missions are always human endeavors. Each success or loss changes 
us and hopefully strengthens us. 

Richard Branson sounded visibly shaken when he appeared at a televised 
press briefing at Mojave, California, after the death of SpaceShipTwo co-pilot 
Michael Alsbury. “We would love to finish what we started some years ago,” 
Branson said in a subdued voice. There was a tone of doubt about the future, 
but it was short-lived. A week later, Virgin Galactic posted a statement saying 
that among the condolences pouring in were requests to “take courage” from the 
accident. The company said it would do so by continuing work on the second 
SpaceShipTwo with “heightened resolve.” 

For sure, Branson and Virgin Galactic’s prospective customers will never look at 
their endeavor the same way. They will have a heightened sense of the human risks 
that might always be inherent in riding a rocket to the fringes of space and back. 

In the case of the comet landing, the images of the descent taken from the Ro- 
setta spacecraft and those taken by the Philae lander were astounding. The scale of 
the media coverage should answer the questions about whether humanity can get 
excited about robotic missions. The answer is a resounding yes. Studying a comet in 
situ, even if only for a short while, is an amazing achievement. Europe can now as- 
sess the landing technologies and possibly improve them. Those planning similarly 
bold missions can make their cases with greater confidence. 

Not all the lessons from the Philae mission were quite so cosmic. Project scien- 
tist Matt Taylor publicly apologized for wearing a shirt covered with drawings of 
scantily clad women. The shirt was, as Taylor put it, a “big mistake.” It offended 
women and should offend men who see the value in a fully respectful workplace. 
Taylor seemed genuinely contrite about this teachable moment in what remains an 
impressive triumph for the European Space Agency and its partners. 

Onward and upward. 


Ben lannotta 

Editor-in-Chief 



Letter to the Editor 


More to say about biofuels 


It is indeed heartening that new syn- 
thetic paths to precursors for biofuels 
are being developed [“ Biofuels now,” 
October, page 30]. 


Correction 

The graphic accompanying the article 
“ Biofuels now ” [ October, page 33] con- 
tained an inaccurate rendering of a 
farnesene molecule. We’ve updated 
the online edition of the magazine 
with the correct molecule. 

*** 

An illustration accompanying the Anal- 
ysis article “ Commercial Crew Insights ” 
[November, page 19] incorrectly high- 
lighted one of the proposed vehicles 
as a winner in NASA’s Commercial 
Crew program. The winning vehicles 
were Boeing’s CST-100 and SpaceX’s 
Dragon v2. The error has been cor- 
rected in the digital edition. 


Unfortunately, these articles 
never delve into the question of how 
much net energy is being produced 
from biomass. Beyond the costly 
growing and harvesting of plant ma- 
terial, each process has to dehydrate 
or separate from the fermentation 
broth the alcohols from the rector 
slurry. Getting the alcohol (particu- 
larly ethanol) from water is an en- 
ergy-intensive step. Ethanol in the 
U.S. is the most heavily subsidized 
fuel and would not stand by itself if it 
were not supported by tax credits. 
The moral question of using an edible 
plant material or waste to produce jet 


or car fuels when people in the world 
are starving is something that doesn’t 
appear to be addressed either. 

When we can use the bagasse or 
inedible grasses as feedstock, then I 
will get excited. Until then, using 
coal as the feedstock is the most 
tried-and-true method we have, in- 
cluding processes for C02 capture 
during the generation of clean liquid 
fuels. That research was done in the 
70s (Project Independence) and 
tested with Air Force aircraft. 

Raymond F.Maddalone 
Fishers, Indiana 
rfmaddalone@comcast.net 


All letters addressed to the editor are considered to be submitted for possible publication, 
unless it is expressly stated otherwise. All letters are subject to editing for length and 
to author response. Letters should be sent to: Correspondence, Aerospace America, 

1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Suite 500, Reston, VA 20191-4344, or by email to: beni@aiaa.org. 


News From Intelligent Light 


FieldView 15 Is Here! 

Dozens of improvements in speed, efficiency and workflow. 

Plus extraordinary new color maps for powerful, insightful images 
Here the Achromatic One color map smoothly cycles through 
a variety of hues with maximum saturation making it easy even 
for the color blind to gain insight. 


,TMf 


Introducing XDBview 1 


Now anyone can view and manipulate XDB files. XDBview, built on 
high-performance FieldView technology is the most advanced CFD 
viewer available. Easily share your files with stakeholders and 
decision-makers. XDBview is FREE to use and share! 

Call Now: + 1.201. 460.4700 

Image: Simulation data courtesy of 
Navistar and Corvid Technologies 

FieldView 1 5 

Advancing CFD, Advancing You. 

For more: www.ilight.com 

Intelligent Light 



AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 3 




With the industry eager to understand and move beyond 
two launch failures in a matter of days. Teal Group analyst 
Marco Caceres examines the strategies that brought 
the industry to this point. 


TWO BAD DAYS 


The risks of minimalist flight testing 


The deadly 
SpaceShipTwo 
crash raises fresh 
questions over 
how much testing 
is enough before 
sending people up. 


T he failed flight of Virgin Galactic’s 
SpaceShipTwo Enterprise was the 
54th test flight of the suborbital 
space plane, although only four of these 
were rocket powered. The flights began 
in 2010 and had been scheduled to con- 
tinue into next 
year. A total of 
140 test flights 
were planned be- 
fore commencing 
commercial op- 
erations, which 
means that had 
Enterprise not 
failed, it would 
have flown an- 
other 86 times 
before being qual- 
ified to begin car- 
rying paying pas- 
sengers. As Virgin 
Galactic founder 
Richard Branson 
told talk show 
host David Letter- 
man a few weeks 
before the acci- 
dent, “From now 
until March [2015] 
there will be many 
test flights. There 
will be many test 
flights actually 
into space.” The 
indication was that there would be an in- 
tense period of test flights over the next 
seven months. 

What is sometimes compromised 
whenever one accelerates the development 


of rockets is flight testing. It is possible to 
held safe and dependable vehicles with a 
minimal number of test Rights, but now, 
with the advent of the commercial space 
tourism industry, the risks of this minimalist 
Right testing culture are much greater be- 
cause human lives 
are at stake. If an 
Antares rocket 
blows up, you lose 
the rocket, the sat- 
ellite payload and 
the space station 
cargo. If a Virgin 
Galactic space 
plane goes down, 
it’s an entirely dif- 
ferent level of loss. 

At first glance, 
the plan for 140 
flights seemed ad- 
equate. It showed 
seriousness on the 
part of Branson 
and his company, 
and was reminis- 
cent of 1959-1968 
when NASA con- 
ducted 199 test 
flights of its X-15 
rocket-powered 
aircraft. Like the 
Enterprise, the 
X-15 was also 
piloted and air- 
launched. Unlike the Enterprise, though, 
nearly all of the X-15 test flights were 
powered, meaning the rocket engine was 
turned on and the vehicle flew of its own 

(Continued on page 6) 

Copyright 2014 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 



National Transportation Safety Board 


4 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


ANALYSIS 

BY MARCO CACERES 


T he failed launch of Orbital Sciences 
Antares 130 rocket in late October 
has again raised concerns about 
the use of Russian-made engines by U.S. 
launch companies. 

Although we don’t yet know what went 
wrong, we know that the first stage of an 
Antares is powered by 
two engines built by the 
Kuznetsov Design Bureau 
in the 1960s. The engines, 
designated NK-33, were 
purchased by Aerojet 
during the 1990s, refur- 
bished, and sold to Orbital 
Sciences as the AJ26 in 
2010 for use on Antares. 

Another U.S. company, 

United Launch Alliance, 
uses the Russian Energo- 
mash RD-180 engine on 
the first stage of the Atlas 
5 rocket. 

The reliance on Rus- 
sian engines has raised 
concerns about their con- 
tinued availability. After 
the U.S. and Europe im- 
posed sanctions against 
Russia over the conflict in Ukraine, Russian 
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitryi Rogozin 
threatened to ban exports of the RD-180 
to RD AMROSS, the Florida-based com- 
pany that sells the engines to ULA, which 
launches many U.S. government military 
and scientific payloads. That has fueled a 
push in Congress for a U.S. -made alterna- 
tive to the RD-180. 

But the more fundamental question that 
keeps popping up is, “Why are we even 


buying Russian engines to begin with?” The 
answer is simple: The engines are among 
the most powerful in the world, and they’re 
much less expensive than anything available 
in the U.S. The NK-33 and RD-180 have ex- 
ceedingly high thrust-to-weight ratios and 
they can be bought at bargain prices. Aero- 
jet Rocketdyne reportedly 
paid $1 million for each 
NK-33, while the RD-180s 
have been sold by Ener- 
gomash to the U.S. for $6 
million. The underlying 
assumption in the Atlas 
5 and Antares programs 
was that the fastest and 
most cost-effective way 
to develop rockets with 
the lift capacities required 
by the U.S. Air Force and 
NASA was to go with 
readily available Russian 
liquid-fuel engines for 
the first stage. The estab- 
lished U.S. launch com- 
panies saw little reason 
to consider using home- 
grown engines. 

The second-guessing 
of this strategy has been intensified by the 
emergence of SpaceX as a major provider 
of launch services. SpaceX has managed to 
break into a market that is technologically 
and financially demanding and extremely 
competitive. Yet it has done so relatively 
quickly with reliable rockets that it pro- 
duces entirely at its facilities in California. 
SpaceX has demonstrated that it is possible 
for a vertically integrated company to be a 

(Continued on page 7) 



<4 

ws 



1 

E jjtaiiL 

y 


NASA 


In the the wake of 
the Antares failure, 
SpaceX's approach 
of developing 
all-new engines 
contrasts sharply 
with the strategy of 
using old Russian 
engines. 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 5 





TWOBADDAYS 

The risks of minimalist flight testing 

(Continued from page 4) 

accord. For Enterprise, 50 of the 54 tests 
involved takeoffs of the WhiteKnightTwo 
carrier aircraft with the Enterprise attached 
to it. WhiteKnightTwo would fly to an alti- 
tude of about 50,000 feet and then release 
Enterprise, after which the space plane 
would glide down and land on a runway. 

This raises the issue of how many of 
the remaining 86 flights of the Enterprise 
were planned to be powered, particularly in 
light of preliminary findings by the National 
Transportation Safety Board that a pilot’s ac- 
tions may have contributed to the early de- 
ployment of the space plane’s “feathering” 
descent system — a mechanism that rotates 
the aircraft’s tail booms upward — which 
could have caused the crash of the vehicle. 

The Enterprise made its first powered 
test flight on April 29, 2013; its second on 
Sept. 13, 2013; its third on Jan. 10, 2014; 
and its fourth on Oct. 31. Realistically, you 
have to wonder how many powered flights 
Virgin Galactic could have conducted 
through March 2015 before it would have 
felt compelled to announce that start of 
commercial operations. The Virgin Ga- 
lactic plan seemed more than reasonable 
to establish the reliability and safety of a 
rocket vehicle, especially given the current 
tendency by space launch companies to 
test fly their new rockets once or twice be- 
fore declaring them ready for operations. 
An example of this is Orbital Sciences 
and its Antares, which was first test flown 
carrying a dummy payload on April 21, 

2013. That was followed by a demonstra- 
tion flight carrying the Cygnus capsule on 
Sept. 18, 2013, to show that the capsule 
could dock with the International Space 
Station, and its first operational flight on 
Jan. 9, 2014, with Cygnus delivering cargo 
to the ISS. The rocket flew a second Cyg- 
nus resupply mission to the ISS on July 13, 

2014, before the failed launch on Oct. 28. 
So, there was one test flight before Antares 
was considered fit for active service. 

In the 1990s, Arianespace conducted 
three test flights of its new Ariane 5 rocket, 
but even those missions were really more 
operational flights, because they carried 
actual satellites, not dummy payloads. 
However, at least those satellites were 
relatively small and inexpensive ones for 
the European Space Agency, which had 


a vested financial interest in the devel- 
opment of the Ariane 5. In the case of 
the doomed Delta 3, Boeing didn’t even 
bother with test flights. 

The Delta 3’s inaugural mission on 
August 26, 1998, carried the Galaxy 10 
spacecraft — a $225 million, 8,543-pound 
commercial TV broadcasting satellite for 
PanAmSat. The launch failed, but Boeing 
wasn’t deterred. Instead of pausing and 
trying a couple of test flights, the com- 
pany attempted a second Delta 3 com- 
mercial launch on May 4, 1999, and again 
failed. That time it involved a $145 million, 
9,400-pound telecommunications satellite 
for Orion Network Systems. 

Ultimately, Boeing did opt for a test 
flight. On Aug. 23, 2000, a Delta 3 launched 
a dummy payload designated the DM-F3, 
designed to simulate the Hughes Space and 
Communications HS-601 satellite. By then, 
it was too late. The Delta 3 had lost the 
market’s confidence, and Boeing termi- 
nated the program. 

The obvious question is: Why was 
Boeing in such a hurry? Answer: The com- 
mercial satellite market was perceived as 
being at the cusp of a boom period. The 
demand for commercial launch services 
was growing, and Boeing wanted to be a 
major player with its Delta 3. The company 
was under pressure to introduce the ve- 
hicle and commence operations as quickly 
as possible. It was working under a $1.5 
billion contract from Hughes to provide 
10 firm Delta 3 launches, plus options for 
10 or more launches. By 1996, the Delta 
3 program already had an order backlog 
of 20 launches through 2002. Arianespace 
was also facing pressure to introduce its 
Ariane 5 to take advantage of the coming 
boom in satellite launch orders. 

As to Orbital Sciences, it may have felt 
the need to speed up development of its 
Antares to take advantage of an opportu- 
nity that presented itself on Oct. 18, 2007, 
when NASA canceled its Commercial Or- 
bital Transportation Services contract with 
Rocketplane Kistler. The contract was re- 
competed under the Commercial Resup- 
ply Services program, and Orbital won a 
$1.9 billion contract on Dec. 23, 2008, to 
provide eight cargo supply flights to the 
International Space Station using its Tau- 
rus 2 (subsequently renamed Antares) and 
Cygnus capsule combo. A 


6 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


The SpaceX effect 

(Continued from page 5) 

launch industry leader. That is starting to 
unnerve large launch companies that have 
seldom felt threatened by newcomers. 

Other private companies have tried 
— and failed — to introduce new launch 
vehicles. That’s why when SpaceX was 
founded in 2002, it wasn’t taken seriously 
by the industry. 

SpaceX initially offered a small-lift rocket 
called the Falcon 1, priced at $5.9 million 
per launch, less than half the going rate for 
other small U.S. launch vehicles at the time. 
The industry viewed the price as a market- 
ing gimmick. The first three Falcon 1 launch 
attempts — in 2006, 2007 and 2008 — failed 
and SpaceX raised its launch price by 30 per- 
cent. Three consecutive failures should have 
meant the end of a new launch company, 
but SpaceX kept at it. Less than two months 
after Falcon l’s third failure, SpaceX tried 
again and succeeded. The company con- 
ducted another good launch before decid- 
ing to retire the Falcon 1 and move on to its 
heavy-lift Falcon 9, which began launching 
in 2010. Through the end of October 2014, 
the Falcon 9 has launched 13 missions. 

SpaceX is currently working under a 
$1.6 billion contract to provide cargo resup- 
ply services to the International Space Sta- 
tion using its newer, larger Falcon 9 vl.l 
and Dragon cargo capsule. In September, 
NASA awarded a $2.6 billion contract to 
SpaceX to develop a system, using the Fal- 
con 9 and a manned version of Dragon, 
for transporting crews to and from ISS. The 
company is also on the verge of having the 
Falcon 9 certified by the Air Force as a po- 
tential launch provider for Evolved Expend- 
able Launch Vehicle payloads. 

Additionally, SpaceX has been compet- 
ing successfully in the commercial launch 
market. Over the past year, the company 
has launched four commercial communica- 
tions satellites destined for geostationary or- 
bits, plus a batch of Orbcomm mobile com- 
sats to low-Earth orbit. It has won contracts 
to launch more than two dozen commercial 
satellites for companies around the world, 
as well as contracts to launch satellites for 
the Air Force, NASA, the German armed 
forces, and the space agencies of Argentina, 
Canada, Taiwan and Turkmenistan. 

SpaceX has been winning contracts in 
every segment of the launch market. The 


company has a reliable rocket priced at 
half, or less, the prevailing prices of compa- 
rable vehicles, and it has been around long 
enough that it is now viewed as part of the 
mainstream of the industry, giving it the cred- 
ibility that it may have lacked just a few years 
ago. This presents a potential nightmare for 
traditional players in the launch market. 

There is increased pressure on compa- 
nies like ULA and Orbital Sciences to re- 
duce the cost of their rocket programs so 
that they can be competitive with SpaceX. 
One way to do this is to increase launch 
volume by more aggressively marketing the 
vehicles commercially. Lockheed Martin 
has moved in this direction with its Atlas 
5 during the past year. Another way is to 
shake up corporate leadership to come up 
with new ideas. That would explain ULA’s 
move in August to replace CEO Michael 
Gass with Tory Bruno, former president 
of Lockheed Martin Strategic and Missile 
Defense Systems. ULA is a joint venture of 
Lockheed and Boeing. 

Europe’s Arianespace is also starting 
to feel pressure to reduce its costs. The 
consortium is struggling to decide how to 
proceed with development of the Ariane 6 
rocket. One of the drivers of the debate is 
the question of how to dramatically reduce 
launch costs compared with its Ariane 5 
ECA. The Europeans are even considering a 
fundamental industrial restructuring of Ari- 
anespace to make it more competitive. 

It’s almost impossible to get anyone 
within the European space industry to admit 
that they underestimated SpaceX and its im- 
pact on the market. But the Europeans are 
clearly concerned. France’s space minister, 
Genevieve Fioraso, has criticized SpaceX 
for “dumping” its rockets on the commercial 
market. She and others in Europe also be- 
lieve SpaceX has been unfairly bolstered by 
U.S. government contracts. The fact remains: 
The Europeans are reacting to SpaceX. 

Perhaps the best indicator of the 
“SpaceX effect” can be found in comments 
made shortly after the Antares failure by 
Chris Chadwick, the president and CEO 
of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. In 
a Bloomberg News article, Chadwick was 
quoted as saying that SpaceX founder and 
president Elon Musk and others are bring- 
ing “disruptive ideas” to the space indus- 
try. “It ensures that we stay on our toes,” 
Chadwick said. A 



Marco Caceres is the 
senior space analyst 
at Teal Group in 
Fairfax, Virginia. 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 7 



Participation is \>wer 

Shaping the future of aerospace is no simple task. 

AIAA forums and expositions are catalysts for Shaping the future of aerospace takes passion, 
inspired idea exchange, progressive problem discussion, innovation, collaboration, and most 
solving, and industry innovation. importantly, it takes YOU! 



AIAA Forums and Expositions 


SciTech 2015 

Registration Closes on 22 December 
5-9 January 2015, Kissimmee, Florida 

DEFENSE 2015 

Registration Open 

10-12 March 2015, Laurel, Maryland 

AVIATION 2015 

Registration Opens in February 
22-26 June 2015, Dallas, Texas 

Propulsion and Energy 2015 

Call for Papers Closes on 7 January 
27-29 July 2015, Orlando, Florida 

SPACE 2015 

Call for Papers Opens Soon 

31 Augus1^2 September 2015, Pasadena, California 


"The ability to network with 
people from all over these different 
technical areas in one place in one 
location has just been terrific." 

—Edgar G. Waggoner, Aeronautics Research Mission 
Directorate > NASA 


Learn More! aiaa.org/forums 





"Students... when you present 
a paper and get published , 
that fact stays on your resume 
your entire life." 

—Kevin Burns, Northrop Grumman Corporation 


"The forum is a great place for us 
to make contacts , network with 
our customers and talk about 
new, innovative ideas." 


Rob Fuller, Lockheed Martin 


"All sorts of things go on in the 
hallways , in side meetings ; and 
you really need to be here in 
person to experience that." 

—Jeffrey Puschell , Raytheon Company 


Thank you to our participating sponsors. 



Shaping the Future of Aerospace 


15-529 




AEROSPACE DESIGN AND STRUCTURES 


Research in 
adaptability 

by Louis Centolanza 

The Adaptive Structures 
Technical Committee 

supports work to enable 
aircraft to adapt to changing 
environmental conditions 
during flight 


S tructurally efficient wings and quiet, low- 
speed performance for next-generation 
aircraft require a change in control paradigms 
to address the range of maneuver and nomi- 
nal/off-nominal flight conditions. Challenges 
to implementing control technologies such as 
gust load alleviation, circulation control and 
flutter suppression include interactions of the 
aerodynamic nonlinearities, low- weight/ flexible 
structures and control. NASA’s Armstrong Flight 
Research Center and Tao Systems are develop- 
ing a localized sensing methodology that sepa- 
rates aerodynamic forces and movements into 
circulatory and non-circulatory components to 
constmct physics-based unsteady aerodynamic 
models and control each span station compo- 
nent independently. 

NASA also partnered with the Air Force 
Research Laboratory for the Environmen- 
tally Responsible Aviation project, a series 
of flight tests to demonstrate the viability of 
full-scale Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge 
flaps. A compliant flap is being designed 
and fabricated by FlexSys for integration and 
flight research on the NASA Gulfstream 3 
Subsonic Research Aircraft Testbed. In-flight 
structural and aerodynamic data will verify 
analysis and design 
techniques for adaptive 
structures. 

In other research, 
AFRL fabricated and 
tested a 6-foot-span 

variable camber com- 
pliant wing. A non- 
stretchable, single-piece 
carbon fiber composite 
skin enables active cam- 
ber change between the 



nasa NACA 2410 and NACA 
8410 airfoils without 

A modified Gulfstream 3 is NASA's discrete control sur- 

testbed for flexible-winq-flap r TT . t t . .111 

research faces. Vertical wind tunnel testing included 

flow and structural response measurements as 
well as flow visualization and digital image 
correlation. AFRL is also collaborating with 
Metis Design to integrate structural health 
monitoring hardware onto the Space Test Pro- 
gram-H3 payload. Flight hardware includes 
distributed SHM nodes coupled with piezo- 
electric beamforming elements and precision 
triaxial accelerometers for pallet structural as- 
sessment from assembly through integration 
and year-long testing on the International 
Space Station. 

A project under the Consortium for Re- 
search and Innovation in Aerospace in Que- 
bec is designing and manufacturing a mor- 


phing Bombardier-type aircraft wing tip 
controlled using electric actuators and pres- 
sure sensors. Canadian and Italian partners 
are Bombardier Aerospace, Thales Canada, 
Institute for Aerospace Research-National Re- 
search Council, Ecole de technologie superi- 
eure, Ecole Polytechnique, Alenia, Centro Ital- 
iano Ricerche Aerospaziali and the University 
of Naples. The aim of morphing is the delay 
of wing flow transition and improvement of 
aileron aerodynamic performance. The aero- 
dynamic analysis will be validated with sub- 
sonic wind tunnel testing by the Canadian Na- 
tional Research Council’s National Institute for 
Aerospace Research. 

Adaptive structures research continues at 
several universities. Arizona State University is 
developing hybrid and multifunctional smart 
particles that can be embedded in polymer 
matrix composites, exhibiting stress-sensitive 
properties such as changes in color and con- 
ductivity under loading. The smart material 
comprises tris-(cinnamoyloxymethyl)-ethane 
monomer, which further converts to cyclobu- 
tane, a mechanophore formed by exposing 
TCE to ultraviolet light. The cyclobutane rings 
cleave under post-yield loading and efficiently 
generate fluorescence emission. 

Morphing skins developed at the Harbin 
Institute of Technology in China include elas- 
tic fiber enhanced styrene-based shape mem- 
ory polymer skins for variable camber micro 
air vehicle wings. A second morphing skin 
based on carbon fiber reinforced plastic rods 
and Kevlar-reinforced rubber composite can 
be used on sweeping wings. 

The University of Maryland is investigat- 
ing improved autonomy for small unmanned 
autonomous vehicles using bioinspired con- 
trol based on the human-animal metaphor 
of interaction between service canines and 
human handlers. The vehicle, Aerial K9, will 
result in a reduction of human operator work- 
load. Control commands issued by the first 
responder are canine cues or gestures such as 
heel, come, stay or search. 

Mississippi State University, in association 
with the Indian Institute of Science, devel- 
oped the wavelet-based spectral finite ele- 
ment, or WSFE, method for wave propagation 
in thin to moderately thick anisotropic com- 
posite laminates. WSFE yields accurate results 
with high computational efficiency for wave 
motion at high frequencies and is suitable for 
solving the inverse problem of structural 
health monitoring. The method was extended 
to model and perform SHM for built-up struc- 
tures and adhesively bonded joints. A 


10 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 



Bell Helicopter 


Rotorcraft, 
reusability 
mark year in 
design 

by Sidney Rowe 

The Design Engineering 
Technical Committee 

promotes the development 
and dissemination of 
technologies that assist 
design engineers in defining 
practical aerospace products. 


A team headed by Bell Helicopter and Lock- 
heed and another by Sikorsky and Boeing 
have been selected to produce and fly rotor- 
craft in 2017 for the U.S. Army-administered 
Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator 
program. JMR will be the technology devel- 
opment phase of the Future Vertical Lift pro- 
gram, which aims to field faster, long-range 
successors to approximately 4,000 medium- 
sized helicopters flown by the military today, 
including Army Apaches and Black Hawks 
and aircraft flown by the Navy and Marines. 
Bell, with Lockheed providing 
electronics, is developing the 
V-280 Valor tiltrotor, which is 
intended to fly at top speed of 
280 knots, can fly at double the 
speed and has twice the range 
of any of the Army’s current 
helicopters. The rotors can 
move from their conventional 
position for takeoff and landing 
to act as propellers for forward 
flight. Sikorsky-Boeing’s SB-1 
Defiant helicopter has coaxial, 
counter-rotating rigid main rotor 
blades, and a pusher propeller 
in the rear that can accelerate 
and decelerate the aircraft. 

In the space launch domain, 

SpaceX, one of NASA’s Com- 
mercial Orbital Transportation 
Services partners, said it has 
demonstrated reusability of the 
Falcon 9. Following the July 
launch of six Orbcomm com- 
munciations satellites, the Falcon 
9 launcher’s first stage re-entered 
the atmosphere and soft landed 
in the Atlantic Ocean, the com- 
pany announced on its web- 
site. “This test confirms that the 
Falcon 9 booster is able consis- 


tently to reenter from space at hypersonic ve- 
locity, restart main engines twice, deploy land- 
ing legs and touch down at near zero velocity,” 
the company said. The ultimate goal is to soft 
land back at Cape Canaveral, which would en- 
able refurbishment and reflight within a year. 

In September, NASA announced its selec- 
tion of SpaceX with its Dragon capsules and 
Boeing with its CST-100 to begin transporting 
astronauts to and from the International Space 
Station by the end of 2017. 

For aircraft sonic boom control, research- 
ers have been using cutting- 
edge testing to explore designs 
that show promise for reducing 
sonic boom levels. Studies have 
determined that several factors, 
including shaping and position- 
ing components, create the 
makeup of a sonic boom. These 
factors allow engineers to tailor 
a boom signature through de- 
sign to minimize the loudness of 
the boom it produces in flight. 
New concepts retain characteris- 
tics of a needle nose, a sleek fu- 
selage and swept wings from 
heritage aircraft. Lockheed Mar- 
tin proposed a design that 
mounts two engines under the 
wing in a traditional configura- 
tion with an additional center- 
line engine above the wing. 
Boeing proposed two top- 
mounted engines in a departure 
from historical aircraft design. 
With conventional mounting, 
the shape of the wing must be 
tailored to diffuse the shock 
waves. If the engines are above 
the wing, the shock wave can 
be directed upward and not af- 
fect the ground signature. A 



SpaceX 


The first stage of a SpaceX 
Falcon 9 launcher made a soft 
landing in the Atlantic Ocean 
after a satellite-deployment 
mission in July. 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 11 



f‘UII'1 


AEROSPACE DESIGN AND STRUCTURES 


The widening 
impact of 

multidisciplinary 

design 

by Karen Willcox 

The Multidisciplinary 
Design Optimization 
Technical Committee 

provides a forum for those 
active in development , 
application and teaching of 
a formal design methodology 
based on the integration 
of disciplinary analyses 
and sensitivity analyses , 
optimization and artificial 
intelligence. 


Iowa State University 



The Virtual Reality Applications 
Center at Iowa State. 


T he sophistication of multidisciplinary 
design optimization methods and tools 
continues to grow, as does MDO’s impact 
throughout the design of aerospace systems. 
This year has seen notable developments 
across design applications that include air- 
craft, space systems, turbomachinery, un- 
manned vehicles, robotic systems and air 
transportation networks. 

NASA’s Multidisciplinary Design Analysis 
and Optimization Branch continued develop- 
ment of the Open M DAO framework, focusing 
on computing multidisciplinary derivatives 
(design sensitivities) via the coupled-adjoint 
method. This was done in collaboration with 
the University of Michigan MDOlab, dem- 
onstrating the numerical methods in a new 
open-source benchmark problem that opti- 
mizes the design and operation of a satellite. 

Iowa State and Penn State joined forces 
to investigate the use of trade-space explora- 
tion and visualization tools to support value- 
driven design of complex engineered sys- 
tems. The Virtual Reality Applications Center 
at Iowa State developed a method to visualize 
n-dimensional optimization problems using 
graphics-processing-unit, or GPU, parallelized 
self-organizing maps. The method allows vi- 
sualizations of datasets for millions of points 
to be created in minutes for use in design 
trade-off decisions. 

MDO methods are being scaled to handle 
systems of increasing complexity through sur- 
rogate and multifidelity methods — methods 
that employ principled approximations 
to accelerate computations and that 
combine different tools across a range 
of simulation fidelities. Many of these 
developments exploit a growing con- 
nection with machine learning meth- 
ods. The McGill University Systems 
Optimization Lab developed an adap- 
tive surrogate optimization framework 
for direct search algorithms using dy- 
namic tree regression models (with 
Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal), and 
extended a system-of-systems method- 
ology for air transportation design to 
include route network configuration 
and aircraft design variables. The Uni- 
versity of Arizona Computational Opti- 
mal Design of Engineering Systems, or 
CODES, laboratory developed a classi- 
fication-based approach for model up- 
dating. This "fidelity maps" approach 
can tackle a large number of responses 
without assumptions on their correla- 
tion structure and is particularly suited 


for vibration problems. The Massachusetts In- 
stitute of Technology developed a multifidel- 
ity formulation for incorporating information 
from multiple information sources, includ- 
ing surrogate models and previously evalu- 
ated designs, and demonstrated it for aircraft 
conceptual design. The University of Cam- 
bridge deployed its multifidelity optimiza- 
tion approach on the combined aerodynamic 
configuration selection and refinement of a 
complete turbofan core engine compression 
system. The University of Southampton devel- 
oped large-scale and multifidelity optimiza- 
tion algorithms. 

Increased complexity is also achieved by 
exploiting synergies between algorithms and 
computer hardware. Iowa State used GPUs 
for improving the efficiency of particle swarm 
optimization, resulting in solution improve- 
ment time by as much as five times when 
solving complex multimodal unconstrained 
optimization problems, with no noticeable 
decrease in solution quality or reliability. 

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Mul- 
tidisciplinary Science and Technology Center 
focused on incorporating installed propulsion 
(inlet, engine and nozzle) effects into system- 
level MDO along with power and thermal 
management models to enable a thermal bal- 
ance of the vehicle during conceptual design. 

The University of Illinois, in collaboration 
with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, investi- 
gated new MDO strategies for space observa- 
tory orientation and jitter reduction. Illinois 
developed new co-design methodologies that 
balance physical and control system design 
optimization to study design principles for 
active and autonomous engineering systems. 
Two reconfigurable delta robot and vibration 
isolation system testbeds support exploration 
of physical and control system changes, en- 
abling co-design method validation. 

The University of Southhampton contin- 
ues to investigate techniques for controlling 
the balance of flexibility, conciseness and ro- 
bustness in parametric geometry models while 
embedding intelligence, designer knowledge 
and best practices within computer-aided de- 
sign systems and MDO frameworks. 

The AIAA Aerodynamic Design Optimiza- 
tion Discussion Group released a series of 
benchmarks for testing and comparing strat- 
egies for aerodynamic shape optimization 
(www.aiaa.org) . The first papers that tackled 
these problems were presented at a special 
session at SciTech 2014. These efforts are 
paving the way toward a high-fidelity MDO 
benchmark problem. A 


12 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


N on-deterministic methodologies and im- 
plementation strategies enable numerical 
simulation subject to uncertain inputs, vari- 
able processes and model-form uncertain- 
ties, which provide information on ranges 
of possible component and system behavior 
rather than unique, deterministic predictions. 
Analysis and life assessment of a component 
using non-deterministic approaches increases 
the trustworthiness of the analysis, and proves 
to be of great value in the virtual prototyp- 
ing process that is becoming a standard in 
current design engineering practice. As non- 
deterministic computational models are relied 
upon more and more for decision-making, it 
has become increasingly important to quan- 
tify the uncertainties within these models and 
the impact they have on the accuracy of the 
models’ predictions. 

Integrated computational materials engi- 
neering is playing an increasingly large role 
in the design and certification of manufac- 
tured components and systems. ICME models 
can have a large impact in manufacturing 
where tradeoffs between design 
and material properties can be 
explored. These models will 
be integral in the indus- 
try-government-funded 
American Lightweight 
Materials Manufac- 
turing Innovation In- 
stitute, founded this 
year as a hub on the 
new National Net- 
work for Manufactur- 
ing Innovation, which 
is focused on re-estab- 
lishing the United States 
as a global leader in man- 
ufacturing. A key goal for 
ALMMII is that all ICME model 
development activities include plans 
for verification, validation and uncertainty 
quantification, or V&V-UQ. 

In a similar vein, DARPA is entering the 
second phase of its Open Manufacturing 
program “to lower the cost and speed the 
delivery of high-quality manufactured goods 
with predictable performance by creating a 
manufacturing framework that captures fac- 
tory-floor and materials processing variability 
and integrates probabilistic computational 
tools, informatics systems, and rapid qualifi- 
cation approaches.” DARPA also announced 
the new Materials Development for Plat- 
forms program, which aims to leverage ICME 
models, manufacturing process control, and 


V&V-UQ concepts to accelerate the develop- 
ment and deployment of new materials on 
defense platforms. 

The Materials Engineering Department at 
Southwest Research Institute has been heav- 
ily involved in these efforts and, jointly with 
staff from the Air Force Research Laboratory, 
conducted a tutorial titled “Verification and 
Validation Best Practices for ICME” at AIAA’s 
SciTech 2014 Forum. This tutorial will be con- 
ducted again at SciTech 2015, along with a 
series of special sessions on ICME organized 
by the Materials; Structures; Multidisciplinary 
Design Optimization; and Non-Deterministic 
Approaches Technical Committees. 

The Digital Manufacturing and Design 
Innovation Institute was also announced in 
February, as part of the Obama administra- 
tion’s National Network for Manufacturing In- 
novation initiative. The DMDII team is led by 
UI Labs, a Chicago-based nonprofit. DMDII 
is backed by more than 500 companies and 
over 315 local, regional and national organi- 
zations, community colleges and Manu- 
facturing Extension Partnership 
networks. Six of the top 20 
engineering schools in the 
U.S. are also members. 
The mission of DM- 
DII is to establish a 
state-of-the-art prov- 
ing ground for digi- 
tal manufacturing 
and design that links 
IT tools, standards, 
models, sensors, con- 
trols, practices and 
skills, and transition 
these tools to the U.S. 
design and manufacturing 
industrial base for full-scale 
application. 

In addition, industry-academia 
cooperative research programs by personnel 
from IMI, Technion, Mississippi State Univer- 
sity and the University of Illinois at Urbana- 
Champaign have been operating for a num- 
ber of years. The purpose of these 
collaborations is to conduct experimental and 
analytical investigations into the stochastic 
viscoelastic characterizations of polymers. 
These investigations include creep, relaxation 
and wave propagation phenomena. Results 
show overwhelmingly that relaxation moduli 
and creep compliances not only behave non- 
deterministically, but that their probability 
density functions, means and variances 
change dramatically with time. A 



White House 


Making 
the most 
of uncertainty 

by Barron Bichon, Girish 
Modgil, Harry Hilton 
and Shyama Kumari 

The Non-Deterministic 
Approaches Technical 
Committee advances the art , 
science and cross-cutting 
technologies required for 
applying non-deterministic 
modeling and analysis to 
aerospace systems. 


President Barack Obama 
announces the creation of the 
American Lightweight Materials 
Manufacturing Innovation Insti- 
tute and the Digital 
Manufacturing and Design 
Innovation Institute. 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 13 


NASA 


AEROSPACE DESIGN AND STRUCTURES 


Space 

structures for 

communication, 

exploration 

by Gregory L. Davis, 
William Tandy, Thomas 
Campbell, Dave Murphy, 
Brian Spence, Les 
Johnson and Timothy 
Collins 

The Spacecraft Structures 
Technical Committee , 

formerly the Gossamer 
Spacecraft Program 
Committee , focuses on the 
unique challenges associated 
with the design , analysis , 
fabrication , and testing 
of spacecraft structures. 


B all Aerospace and Technologies recently 
completed testing in Boulder, Colo., of a 
foldable, membrane-based telescope called 
MOIRE, for the Membrane Optical Imager for 
Real-Time Exploitation platform. An orbital 
version would consist of a 20-meter-diameter 
optic to provide real-time video capabilities 
from geosynchronous orbit. The current de- 
velopment phase tested a complete optic sys- 
tem with a 5 -meter-diameter membrane optic. 
Three MOIRE-related papers were presented 
at AIAA’s SciTech 2014 conference, covering 
material and structural analyses, as well as 
preliminary results. 

In the radio frequency domain, Harris Corp. 
has developed, built and tested unfurlable 
and fixed-mesh reflector designs with dem- 
onstrated performance up to Ka-band and 
higher frequencies. Enabling this FMR devel- 
opment is a new, high-density, gold-plated 
mesh reflector. The lightweight FMR struc- 
ture leverages a flight proven, lightweight 
advanced composite sandwich panel egg- 
crate construction to support the mesh. For 



large sizes of approximately 3.5 meters, total 
reflector mass savings approaching 50 per- 
cent of a similar solid graphite reflector can 
be achieved. Spacecraft mass savings can 
also be realized from this design due to its 
unique characteristic that virtually no acous- 
tic loading is generated from the reflector 
surface. Concurrent with the ongoing FMR 
qualification program, flight article produc- 
tion is underway on the world’s first Ka-band 
unfurlable mesh reflectors and system level 
testing was expected to begin in Melbourne, 
Florida, in September. 

This year has also seen continuing prog- 
ress in lightweight space power deployables. 
Under a NASA technology development con- 
tract, ATK Space Systems has advanced the 
flight-readiness of its Mega Flex array system 
to Technical Readiness Level 6, an activity 
supported by component testing in unique 
environments, including high-density plasma. 
Testing was completed on a 10-meter flight- 
like wing at NASA Glenn Research Center’s 
Space Power Facility outside of Cleveland. 
Under that same program, Deployable Space 
Systems Inc., with the support of NASA 
Glenn, Langley Research Center in Virginia 
and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasa- 
dena, has significantly matured its Roll-Out 
Solar Array — ROSA — and derived Mega- 
ROSA solar array system technology to TRL 
6. The array underwent detailed design, 
analysis, build and full spectrum validation 
testing at Boeing’s test facility in El Segundo, 
California, and has resulted in a high TRL 
that will facilitate near-term, high-power, 
high-voltage missions requiring 50 kilowatts 
to 1 megawatt of power. 

Complementary to its work on the Sun- 
jammer solar sail mission, NASA also began 
development work this year on two CubeSat- 
class deep space solar sail missions, each us- 
ing a solar sail measuring approximately 85 
square meters. One of these missions, the 
Near Earth Asteroid Scout, will carry an im- 
ager to provide initial reconnaissance of an 
asteroid for possible future human explora- 
tion. Another mission, the Lunar Flashlight, 
will study the significant ice deposits in the 
Moon’s permanently shadowed craters. Its 
solar sail will be used as a mirror to steer 
sunlight into the craters while a spectrometer 
analyzes the reflected light to determine the 
composition of what is being illuminated. 
Both of these missions are planned as sec- 
ondary payloads on the Space Launch Sys- 
tem Exploration Mission 1, which will be the 
first flight of the SLS rocket. A 


14 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


DARPA 



TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


T he U.S. Army Research Laboratory Vehi- 
cle Technology Directorate is researching 
passive and adaptive technologies for rotor- 
craft aeroelastic/aeromechanical stability aug- 
mentation. Researchers at Aberdeen Proving 
Ground in Maryland have conducted an ex- 
ploratory micromechanics modeling effort to 
demonstrate that nanocomposites — carbon 
nanotube matrix inclusions — may provide 
sufficient structural damping augmentation 
to enable aeroelastically/aeromechanically 
stable rotor blades without the need for auxil- 
iary dampers. Potential benefits include lower 
maintenance burdens for future Army rotor- 
craft as well as enabling advanced design 
concepts. Follow-on experimental nanocom- 
posite characterizations are underway in col- 
laboration with the University of Florida and 
Texas A&M University. 

In addition, ARL/VTD researchers at NA- 
SA’s Langley Research Center are developing 
an advanced active-flap design for helicopter 
rotor blades. The Continuous Trailing-Edge 
Flap uses a piezoelectric bimorph to change 
blade camber during flight, which may pro- 
vide sufficient authority for primary flight 
control. Its monolithic construction eliminates 
mechanical hinges in order to improve sys- 
tem reliability, a weakness of current active- 
flap technologies. Prototypes are being con- 
structed for wind-tunnel testing and validation 
of the concept. 

A unique flight test was conducted at the 
National Research Council of Canada using 
its Bell 412 helicopter to investigate the bio- 
medical effects of aircrew exposure to whole- 
body vibration, or WBV. This flight trial was 
conducted under the auspices of the NRC’s 
recently launched Working and Travelling on 
Aircraft initiative, which spearheads research 
in the aircraft cabin and cockpit human-fac- 
tors domain to enhance the situational aware- 
ness, safety and comfort of aircrew and pas- 
sengers. Increasingly, the potential causative 
role of WBV and associated factors such as 
aircrew postures, aircraft maneuvers and the 
increase in head-mounted mass due to the 
use of night-vision devices and head-up dis- 
plays, are being recognized in relation to oc- 
cupational injuries such as neck strain and 
back pain, which are prevalent among heli- 
copter aircrews. 

The NRC helicopter was instrumented to 
synchronously acquire mechanical and physi- 
ological data using a variety of sensors. Test 
instrumentation included accelerometers to 
measure aircrew vibration, heart rate and 
respiration monitors, electromyography and 


electrooculography electrodes to measure 
neck muscle activity and eye movement, gal- 
vanic skin response sensors to evaluate stress, 
goniometers to measure neck angles, motion 
trackers to record head movement, and video 
cameras to capture multiple views. This flight 
trial yielded a comprehensive set of data al- 
lowing researchers to quantify the physiologi- 
cal responses of helicopter occupants to their 
operating environment under representative 
flight conditions. 

The Air Force Institute of Technology 
has been carrying out research in the area 
of mistuning within a turbine rotor due to 
geometric imperfections. This mistuning is 
established by evaluating the variation of 
each blade’s effect on the rotor’s frequency 
response function. The individual rotor is 
subjected to a software program associated 
with the aerodynamics creating movement 
in that rotor as it undergoes its design ro- 
tation, and thus its important frequency re- 


Dynamics 
research 
focuses 
on rotorcraft 

by Daniel Griffith and 
the Structural Dynamics 
Technical Committee 

The Structural Dynamics 
Technical Committee 

focuses on the interactions 
among a host of forces 
on aircraft rocket and 
spacecraft structures. 


Primarv Spar Composite Plies 



An advanced active-flap design for helicopter rotor blades is being developed by the 
U.S. Army Research Laboratory Vehicle Technology Directorate. 

U.S. Army Research Laboratory 


sponse. An experi- 
ment is employed to 
ascertain the forced 
response and mistun- 
ing patterns for the 
rotor. Several items 
attributed to exist- 
ing experimental in- 
consistencies were 
identified and their 
effects were realized 
during this research. 
These experimen- 
tal items were signal 
input locations, re- 
sponse measurement 
locations and rotor 



alignment position. 

Accounting for these 
experimental vari- 
ables, this research develops a process that 
enables consistent rotor forced response re- 
sults, independent of its orientation on the 
test stand. The result is a specification that 
will allow experimentation to determine the 
extent of rotor mistuning, which can lead to 
high-cycle fatigue. A 


An instrumented Bell 412 
helicopter provided insights 
into the effects of whole-body 
vibration on aircrews under 
research conducted by the 
National Research Council 
of Canada. 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 15 


National Research Council of Canada 


AEROSPACE DESIGN AND STRUCTURES 


Research seeks 
lighter, more 
versatile 
structures 

by Harry H. Hilton 

The Structures Technical 
Committee works on the 
development and application 
of theory, experiment , and 
operation in the design of 
aerospace structures. 



An inflatable pressure vessel 
undergoes a creep burst test 
at NASA's Johnson Space Center 
to determine material properties, 
including failure pressures and 
creep times. 


T he Air Force Institute of Technology is 

working on a lighter-than-air vehicle and 
has considered structures such as a icosahe- 
dron and a celestial sphere. Findings are still 
being reviewed, but material properties and 
mistuned rotors are major issues. The study 
is developing advanced experimental and 
analytical approaches for the accurate assess- 
ment of turbine engine component life. Ad- 
ditional work will help quantify uncertainty 
propagation from the initial modeling and 
computational predictions to the experimen- 
tal application and results. 

NASA Langley Research Center is acquir- 
ing a state-of-the-art composites fabrication 
environment to support its research and tech- 
nology development mission. This overall sys- 
tem is called ISAAC, for Integrated Structural 
Assembly of Advanced Composites. ISAAC’S 
initial operational capability is a commercial 
robotic automated fiber placement system 
from Electroimpact Inc. with a multiple-de- 
grees-of-freedom commercial robot platform, 
a tool changer mechanism and a spe- 
cialized automated fiber placement end 
effector. Developments included ad- 
vanced composite materials, structures, 
fabrication processes and technology. 

The University of Pisa’s Civil and 
Industrial Engineering Department is 
conducting a research project, called 
IDINTOS, to design and manufacture 
an amphibious light aircraft with a 
PrandtlPlane box-wing configuration 
for small industries. Projects concluded 
with construction of a prototype with 
main and front retractable landing 
gears, tip wings of the PrandtlPlane 
configuration, fin and rudder, hull and 
two shrouded propellers. 

NASA Johnson Space Center’s In- 
flatable Structures Team performed 
an inflatable pressure vessel creep 
burst test. The 7.5-foot-diameter, 
10-foot-long woven Vectran article 
was designed for 36 pounds per square inch 
gauge and tested to failure to help under- 
stand time-dependent, end-of-life properties. 
The structure was pressurized to an internal 
pressure of 145 psig (74 percent static burst 
pressure) until the structural restraint layer 
burst. In addition to creep performance, the 
results will be used to study the structure’s 
loading and dynamic behavior. 

Arizona State University’s Adaptive Intelli- 
gent Materials & Systems Center and Aerojet 
Rocketdyne are developing stochastic mul- 
tiphysics, multiscale modeling for improved 


analysis of carbon fiber reinforced ceramic 
matrix composites for advanced rocket pro- 
pulsion applications. The effort focuses on 
accurate and efficient material characteriza- 
tion through serial sectioning and 3-D model 
reconstruction to study progressive damage 
models. Weave and tow architectures con- 
tain voids due to manufacturing, which are 
key model features. 

The Air Force Research Laboratory and 

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics led efforts to 
benchmark composite progressive failure 
analysis tools for static loading conditions. 
AFRL’s structures lab measured basic lam- 
ina properties of common graphite/epoxy 
and delivered them to 10 analysis teams for 
model calibration. After calibration, each 
team predicted stiffness, strength and dam- 
age characteristics of unnotched and open- 
hole tension and compression coupon tests 
of three different layups. The results varied 
with some predictions falling within 1 per- 
cent of the experimental mean while others 
were off by more than 25 percent. 

An 18-foot-diameter tank built by Boeing 
was delivered to NASA Marshall Space Flight 
Center. The tank was then filled with liquid 
hydrogen at simulated launch condition pres- 
sures. This is the first time a tank of this size 
been proven to sustain the thermal environ- 
ment of liquid hydrogen at these pressures. 
The design is more structurally efficient then its 
predecessors and represents significant tech- 
nology achievements for NASA, Boeing and in- 
dustry. The technology could prove beneficial 
to the U.S. launch industry and other industries 
that want to replace heavy metal components 
with lightweight composites. 

SpaceX attached landing gear onto the 
Falcon 9 rocket that will launch the com- 
pany’s unmanned Dragon cargo capsule to- 
ward the International Space Station. This 
marks another step in SpaceX’s quest to de- 
velop a fully reusable launch system. The 
launch vehicle will continue to make ocean 
landings and will not attempt a surface land- 
ing until precision control from hypersonic 
through subsonic regimes is achieved. 

Purdue University is developing an ac- 
celerated certification process for aerospace 
composites in an effort to reduce costly 
physical testing requirements. The slightest 
design or material change increases costs 
and suppliers often publish material proper- 
ties that become the basic information re- 
quired to run virtual simulations, but this in- 
formation is insufficient, requiring additional 
performance parameters. A 


16 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 



Laurent Errera 


Missile, 
fire threats 
investigated 

by Ameer G. Mikhail, 
Gregory J. Czarnecki, 
Adam E. Goss, 

Alex G. Kurtz 

and John J. Murphy Jr. 

The Survivability Technical 
Committee promotes air 
and spacecraft survivability 
as a design discipline 
that includes such factors 
as crashworthiness 
and repairability. 


T o better assess the survivability of an air- 
craft engine hit by an exploding warhead 
and fragments of a man-portable air defense 
system missile, or MANPADS, U.S. Air Force 
researchers performed static and precise dy- 
namic missile tests resulting in three different 
blast pressure fields. The tests, conducted at 
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, in- 
cluded a missile case that contained residual 
rocket motor fuel. The results of the three 
pressure fields were collected, analyzed and 
used to improve the threat blast model fidel- 
ity for engine-damage simulation, which will 
be reflected in more accurate engine-damage 
predictions and assessments of aircraft vulner- 
ability to MANPADS. 

The ability of air crews to survive onboard 
fires was studied by a team of researchers 
from the Air Force, the Army Research Labo- 
ratory and Naval Air Systems Command. In- 
vestigators examined JP-8 fuel fires in a heli- 
copter compartment test bed with different air 
ventilation conditions and rates. The first test 
series, at Wright-Patterson, was made with 
no air flow or ventilation, while the second, 
at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, in- 
cluded air flow and ventilation. Combustion 
product concentrations were measured and 
the effects of smoke and fire on a crew’s abil- 
ity to operate, extinguish the fire and or es- 
cape were assessed. A NAVAIR-led effort will 
test the effectiveness of advanced portable 
fire extinguishers on onboard fuel fires. 

The vulnerability of aircraft fuel systems 
was studied by researchers from the Air 
Force, the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center and 
Germany, with a focus on the thermal deg- 
radation of composites due to fire, skin-spar 
joint resistance to hydrodynamic ram pres- 


sure and hot-surface aircraft fuel ignition. This 
year, the group assessed composite thermal 
degradation and evaluated non-destructive 
methods to detect fire damage. The skin- 
spar joint resistance to the hydrodynamic ram 
pressure was also measured, demonstrating 
that the advanced joint design can withstand 
the intense pressures resulting from munitions 
penetrating an aircraft fuel tank. 

In the civil aviation realm, the downing of 
a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200ER from an 
altitude of 33,000 feet by a surface-to-air mis- 
sile on July 17 in Ukraine highlights a new 
vulnerability of commercial aircraft to rogue 
missile threats. Unlike the threat of MANPADS 
missiles, which usually occur below 10,000 
feet, the new higher-altitude threat, though 
rare, may expose the need for developing ef- 
fective but economical countermeasures. 

In addition, the earlier disappearance of 
another Malaysia Airlines 777-200ER while en 
route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing exposed 
the still poor tracking system capability for 
civilian planes, which is limited to areas be- 
tween control towers or 300 miles from shore 
over ocean waters. The FAA and its European 
counterpart, EASA, have considered several 
systems that could be developed into ro- 
bust and reliable tracking tools. Some engine 
manufacturers, such as GE, have already been 
tracking their own engines for in-flight diag- 
nosis and faster ground maintenance. Such a 
system could potentially help locate downed 
aircraft and thus provide faster rescue efforts. 
The Malaysia Airlines disappearance also 
highlights the need for longer battery life — 
six months instead of 30 days — and stronger 
deep underwater signals from the flight data 
recording system. A 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 17 


AEROSPACE SCIENCES 


Keeping the 
noise down 

By Jeff Peters 

The Aeroacoustics Technical 
Committee addresses the 
noise produced by the 
motion of fluids and bodies 
in the atmosphere and the 
responses of humans and 
structures to this noise. 


A eroacoustics is a critical area in the devel- 
opment of aerospace products, as the de- 
mand for low noise remains important in both 
military and commercial applications. Control- 
ling acoustic emissions at the source requires 
engineers to design for low noise from the 
start. Aeroacoustics research conducted in 
2014 responded to this challenge, highlighted 
by progress made in understanding complex 
features in the jet plumes of tactical military 
aircraft and launch vehicles. Also notewor- 
thy are recent improvements to aeroacoustic 
measurement systems and test facilities that 
provide more insight into noise source char- 
acterization of aerospace products. 

An important area of research for military 
applications is noise reduction in supersonic 
exhaust. The objective is to mitigate noise-in- 
duced hearing loss and improve the safety of 


Recent experiments demonstrated that the de- 
vice also worked in the presence of forward 
flight. Larger-scale experiments are being 
planned at a General Electric facility, while 
small-scale tests and simulations continue at 
Penn State. 

Aeroacoustics research continued to aid 
development of NASA’s Space Launch Sys- 
tem rocket. Researchers at the University of 
Texas at Austin teamed with colleagues from 
the University of Mississippi to investigate 
the vibro-acoustic loads that form during ig- 
nition to develop accurate predictions of the 
launch pad environment. A shadowgraph 
system synchronized with a microphone re- 
cording system provided understanding of 
aeroacoustic sources generated by ignition 
of various rocket clusters. The work was fea- 
tured on Discovery Channel’s “Daily Planet.” 



U.S. Navy 


people operating near tactical aircraft. A team 
of engineers from Lockheed Martin, BAE Sys- 
tems and the U.S. government continued the 
investigation of noise generated by all three 
variants of the F-35 fighter aircraft. Noise 
data was recorded in the near and far fields 
for static engine tests, conventional flight and 
short-takeoff/vertical-landing operations to 
characterize the external sound generated by 
the aircraft. 

Researchers at Penn State University de- 
veloped a novel jet noise reduction system 
for high-performance aircraft. The patented 
method injects “fluidic inserts” in the diverg- 
ing section of a supersonic exhaust nozzle. 
The inserts generate streamwise vorticity in 
the plume, which enhances jet mixing and 
reduces broadband shock-associated noise. 
Early experiments resulted in a 4-decibel 
overall sound pressure level reduction in the 
peak noise radiation direction using moderate 
amounts of bypass air to generate the inserts. 


At Georgia Tech Research Institute, research- 
ers investigated the acoustic response of 
impulsive blast waves generated by firing a 
starter’s pistol into subsonic and supersonic 
jet plumes. The acoustic measurements and 
flow visualizations will give insight into igni- 
tion overpressure waves generated by the SLS 
solid rocket booster. 

Honeywell evaluated in-duct fan noise 
of advanced turbofan engines in a new 

open circuit rig test facility using the func- 
tional acoustic beamform method developed 
by Optinav Inc. The facility accommodates 
two phased pressure transducer arrays in- 
stalled in the fan inlet and bypass ducts. The 
method simultaneously measures and identi- 
fies up to 50 acoustic spinning mode orders 
as well as radial mode orders and direction 
of propagation without aliasing. Mode iden- 
tification agreed with Actran DGM fan noise 
acoustic simulations without interference 
from the rig. A 


18 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 



TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


the state of the art in predicting sonic boom 
propagation. Fifty participants from 24 orga- 
nizations and seven countries took part in 
validating their predictive simulations for a 
standardized configuration that was provided. 
Particular interest was seen in grid refine- 
ment/alignment techniques. 

The U.S. Defense Department’s High Per- 
formance Computing Modernization Program- 
Computational Research and Engineering Ac- 
quisition Tools and Environments program, or 
HPCMP CREATE, continued developing and 
deploying scalable, multidisciplinary, physics- 
based computational engineering products for 
the design and analysis of ships, air vehicles 
and RF antennas. 

The air vehicles program, HPCMP CRE- 
ATE-AV, released two products in 2014. 
The fixed wing analysis tool Kestrel 5.0 in- 
troduces dual-mesh near-body unstructured 
and off-body Cartesian methodology for 
full-aircraft fixed-wing simulations such as 
airframe-engine integrations, tail-buffet and 
store-drops. The rotorcraft analysis tool He- 
lios 5.0 introduces free-flight trim capability. 

Lockheed Martin and the Air Force Re- 


Noise reduction, 
rotor research 
benefit from 
applied aero 
innovations 

by Nathan Hariharan 

The Applied Aerodynamics 
Technical Committee 

emphasizes the development, 
application, and evaluation 
of concepts and methods using 
theories, wind tunnel 
experiments and flight tests. 



search Laboratory have collaborated on the 
development of a hybrid-wing body strategic 
military transport, featuring over-wing integra- 
tion compatible with ultra-high bypass ratio or 
open rotor advanced engines. The over- wing 
installation is 5 percent more aerodynamically 
efficient than an under-wing engine and the 
transport uses 70 percent less fuel 
than the legacy fleet. This perfor- 
mance will be validated with flight 
Reynolds number wind tunnel 
testing in the National Transonic 
Facility next year through an Air 
Force Research Laboratory/NASA 
partnership. 

AFRL and Lockheed Martin initiated a 3-D 
Navier-Stokes CFD simulation-based assess- 


ed 7 simulation generated by the 
Kestrel 5.0 analysis tool. 


N ASA’s efforts to develop innovative tools 
and techniques for analysis and design 
of supersonic aircraft with lower sonic boom 
and airport noise focused on nozzle flow 
and shock-plume interactions. Pressure mea- 
surements, schlieren images and particle im- 
aging velocimetry data were collected for a 
series of nozzle and shock generator config- 
urations in the 1 -by- 1 -foot Supersonic Wind 
Tunnel at NASA’s Glenn Research Center 
in Ohio. A revised three-stream nozzle de- 
sign was tested in the Glenn Aero-Acoustic 
Propulsion Laboratory in cooperation with 
partner GE. The revised design eliminated 
the unsteady separation induced noise of its 
predecessor and validated that the noise re- 
duction goals of NASA’s next-generation N+2 
supersonic community could be met. 

NASA’s Fixed Wing Project teamed with 
MIT, Aurora Flight Sciences and Pratt & Whit- 
ney to conduct experimental and computa- 
tional studies to further assess the bound- 
ary layer ingestion, or BLI, benefit of MIT’s 
futuristic N+3 D8 configuration. A 1/1 lth- 
scale, powered model was investigated in 
the l4-by-22-foot Subsonic Tunnel at NASA’s 
Langley Research Center in Virginia. A 6-7 
percent reduction in power required was 
shown to be produced at a simulated cruise 
condition when compared against a base- 
line, non-BLI configuration. Both force and 
moment data and engine inlet and exit pres- 
sure rake flow surveys were obtained to sup- 
port the assessment of the BLI benefit. 

The AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Techni- 
cal Committee’s Rotorcraft Simulation Work- 
ing Group held its first hover invited ses- 
sion at the 2014 Annual Aerospace Sciences 
Meeting held during the SciTech Forum at 
National Harbor, Maryland. The goal of this 
session was to assess different approaches 
for the hover prediction of a baseline S-76 
rotor planform. Georgia Tech, Sikorsky, Boe- 
ing, University of Maryland, University of 
Toledo, the U.S. Defense Department 
University of Liverpool and KAIST 
of Seoul participated in the 
2014 session. A follow-up 
session is planned for Sci- 
Tech 2015, with a focus 
on hover performance 
predictions for the S-76 
planform with different 
tip shapes. 

The first sonic boom 
prediction workshop 
was held at SciTech 2014 
with an objective to assess 



ment of the integrated effect of distributed 
propulsion systems on aircraft efficiency, 
survivability and powered lift. The 
simulations include the full en- 
gine flow path with over 30 
procedurally generated inlets 
and exhaust nozzles, an en- 
hanced fan CFD boundary 
condition and shape opti- 
mizations for improved ef- 
ficiency. Trade studies on 
nacelle length, spanwise 
placement and total fan 
propulsive area are also be- 
ing conducted. A 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 19 


HPCMP CREATE-AV 



ESA/Rosetta/M PS 


AEROSPACE SCIENCES 


Astrodynamics 
enables Mars, 
comet 
exploration 

by Ryan Park 

The Astrodynamics 
Technical Committee 

advances the science 
of trajectory determination , 
prediction ; and adjustment 
and also spacecraft 
navigation and attitude 
determination. 


o; 



Rosetta's OSIRIS camera — the 
Optical, Spectroscopic and Infrared 
Remote Imaging System — 
captured this image of Comet 
67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. 


n Aug. 6, after a decade-long cruise, 
the European Space Agency’s Rosetta 
spacecraft arrived at Comet 67P/Churyu- 
mov-Gerasimenko, making it the first space- 
craft to rendezvous with a comet. Since its 
launch in March 2004, Rosetta performed a 
four-gravity assist interplanetary transfer to 
the comet (Earth-Mars-Earth-Earth, or EMEE), 
including two asteroid flybys en route. Ro- 
setta deployed the Philae lander in late 2014, 
which searched for organic molecules on the 
comet’s surface. Rosetta is planned to orbit 
the comet for about a year and will perform 
various in situ observations of the comet. 

NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile 
Evolution mission arrived in Mars orbit on 
Sept. 22. MAVEN will study the planet’s up- 
per atmosphere, ionosphere and interactions 
with the sun and 
the solar wind. 

The Indian 
Space Research Or- 
ganisation’s Mars 
Orbiter Mission ar- 
rived at Mars two 
days after MAVEN’s 
orbit insertion. 
MOM is India’s 
first interplanetary 
mission as well as 
Asia’s first space- 
craft to orbit Mars. 
MOM showcases 
India’s rocket 
launch system, spacecraft-building, and sci- 
ence instrument and operations capabilities. 

While both spacecraft took advantage of 
the same Earth-Mars interplanetary transfer 
opportunity, MAVEN launched directly into 
its transfer, while MOM used a series of or- 
bit-raising maneuvers prior to commencing 
the transfer. 



Also at Mars, the Comet Siding Spring 
made an extremely close flyby of the planet 
on Oct. 19. With a total of five orbiters in 
operation at the planet, program officials had 
to consider precautionary measures, includ- 
ing orbit timing adjustments, to avoid poten- 
tial damage from the comet’s dust particles. 
Early knowledge of this flyby also provided 
a unique observation opportunity for all 
Mars assets. 

China’s Chang'e 3 was launched on Dec. 1, 
2013, on a Long March 3B rocket from the 
Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the south- 
western province of Sichuan. Chang’e 3 used 
a direct transfer to enter a 100-kilometer-alti- 
tude circular orbit around the moon on Dec. 6, 
and finally landed its 1,200-kilogram lander 
on Mare Imbrium on Dec. 14. NASA’s Lunar 
Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer, 
which had arrived earlier in 2013, ended its 
mission on April 18 by performing a con- 
trolled crash into the far side of the moon. 

On May 29, two-way communication 
with the International Sun-Earth Explorer 3 
spacecraft was re-established by the ISEE-3 
Reboot Project team of volunteer citizen- 
scientists. ISEE-3, which was launched on 
Aug. 12, 1978, was the first spacecraft to be 
placed in a halo orbit at the Sun-Earth LI 
point. It was renamed the International Com- 
etary Explorer in 1982 and became the first 
spacecraft to fly by a comet. Although sig- 
nificant effort was made to place the space- 
craft back into a halo orbit, the spacecraft’s 
propulsion system had failed due to a loss 
of the nitrogen gas used to pressurize the 
fuel tanks. On Aug. 10, the spacecraft passed 
about 13,600 kilometers above the lunar sur- 
face. It is now in a heliocentric orbit and will 
return to the vicinity of Earth in 17 years. 

Finally, the Seventh Global Trajectory Op- 
timisation Competition was hosted by the Po- 
litecnico di Torino and Universita di 
Roma “La Sapienza.” The objective 
of the competition was for teams to 
design trajectories for a mothership 
(launching from Earth), as well as 
trajectories for three electric-propul- 
sion daughter craft whose goal was 
to rendezvous with as many aster- 
oids as possible (candidate targets 
included 16,000 main belt asteroids) 
and then rejoin the mothership. Pro- 
pellant mass was the tiebreaker for 
solutions visiting the same number of 
asteroids. The winning solution came 
from a team from the Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory, with 36 asteroids. A 


20 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 20 1 4 


NASA/J PL-Caltech. 



TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


S afe and successful operation of aircraft 
and satellites can be challenging given the 
complex environments in which they operate. 
Government, industry and academia continue 
to meet these challenges through significant 
research efforts and tool development. 

During the past two decades, ice-crystal ic- 
ing has caused numerous engine power-loss 
and damage events on commercial airplanes. 
In response, government agencies and the avia- 
tion industry are conducting research to better 
understand the cause and developing regula- 
tions to prevent future events. One critical task 
is to better understand the environment where 
these events occur. As such, ice crystal clouds 
associated with deep convection weather sys- 
tems over northern Australia were explored 
from January through March through an inter- 
national collaboration of 16 industry and gov- 
ernment partners from seven countries. The 
European-led, High Altitude Ice Crystal and the 
North American-led, High Ice Water Content 
projects collected cloud data to characterize the 
ice crystal environments, develop nowcasting 
tools and improve the understanding of funda- 
mental cloud physics in deep convection. In 
situ cloud physics and airborne remote sens- 
ing data were acquired by a well-instrumented 
Falcon 20 research aircraft operated by SAFIRE, 
the French Office of Aircraft Instrumented for 
Environment Research. Additionally, satellite, 
ground-based weather radar and lightning data 
were acquired to provide a comprehensive 
and rich data set. Ultimately, this data set will 
be the basis for pending regulations for en- 
gines and air data systems in order to maintain 
the highest level of safety on future airplanes. 

In other developments, AIAA has pub- 
lished a new guide, “Terrestrial Environment 
Guidelines for Use in Aerospace Vehicle 
Development” (AIAA G-140-2014), which is 
available to members. The document provides 



HORYU-2 
spacecraft with 
high voltage 
solar array 
visible at right. 


natural terrestrial environment criteria guide- 
lines for use in the design and development 
of aerospace vehicles traversing the terrestrial 
atmosphere, defined as up to 90 kilometers 
in altitude. It reflects on aerospace vehicle 
development experiences and consolidates 
guidelines for natural terrestrial environments 
that have been utilized in a large number of 
aerospace vehicle developments. 

To improve lightning safety for aircraft, 
scientists at the University of Alabama in 
Huntsville are combining data from weather 
satellites with polarimetric radar and numeri- 
cal models in a system that might warn which 
specific pop-up storm clouds are likely to 
produce lightning and when that lightning is 
likely to begin and end. It is hoped that light- 
ning warning times can be increased from 10 
minutes to as long as 45 minutes. 

In orbit, multiple space flight experiments 
are studying phenomena relating to space- 
craft charging and the effects of electrostatic 
discharges on space solar cells have achieved 
significant milestones. The HORYU-2 High 
Voltage Technology Demonstration Satellite, 
built and operated by Kyushu Institute of 
Technology, achieved two years on-orbit. The 
satellite generated a remarkable 350 volts via 
a uniquely designed photovoltaic array and 
demonstrated electrostatic discharge detection 
methods on multiple solar cell layup types. 
HORYU-2 enabled surface potential measure- 
ments coincident with arc detection in the 
sun-synchronous orbit. The payload demon- 
strated the effectiveness of novel mitigation 
techniques such as films and coatings de- 
signed to reduce risk associated with space- 
craft charging and discharge on solar arrays. 

After achieving two years of operation 
on the International Space Station, the Pri- 
mary Arc effect on Solar Cells At LEO, or 
PASCAL, payload was returned to Earth in 
May aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule that 
splashed down in the Pacific Ocean in the 
SpaceX-3 mission. Conceived and developed 
by Lockheed Martin, the Kyushu Institute of 
Technology and JAXA, PASCAL observed 
more than 1,000 low-energy primary arcs 
(electrostatic discharges) on modern and 
legacy space solar cell types. The samples 
continue to undergo post-flight performance 
characterization and analyses. Results will 
provide important information regarding the 
damaging, cumulative effects of low-energy 
primary arcs occurring on cell perimeter in 
comparison to the better-known effects of 
high-energy secondary arcs occurring be- 
tween adjacent cells. A 


Studies target 
icing > lightning 
and electrostatic 
discharges 

by Thomas Ratvasky, 

Alice Grandin, Justin Likar, 
William Vaughn, 
and Dustin Crider 

The Atmospheric and Space 
Environments Technical 
Committee encourages the 
exchange of information 
about the interactions 
between aerospace systems 
and their surroundings. 


A Falcon 20 operated by SAFIRE 
acquired in situ cloud physics 
and airborne remote sensing data. 



NASA 


KIT 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 21 



AEROSPACE SCIENCES 


Flight 
mechanics 
aims farther, 
higher 

by Jared Grauer, 
Mujahid Abdulrahim, 
Timur Alexeev, 
Christopher Karlgaard, 
Mudassir Lone, 

Scott Miller and 
Thomas Nicoll 

The Atmospheric Flight 
Mechanics Technical 
Committee addresses the 
aerodynamic performance , 
trajectories and attitude 
dynamics of aircraft , 
spacecraft , boosters 
and entry vehicles. 


The Solar Impulse 2 flew for two hours and 17 minutes 
using stored battery power on its first flight 
from Payerne, Switzerland. 


I 


T he Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton 
unmanned aircraft completed initial enve- 
lope expansion tests in March. Thirteen flights 
totaling 81 hours were completed, and alti- 
tudes of 59,900 feet were achieved. Only one 
test point out of 568 needed to be repeated. 
The Triton will be flown by the U.S. Navy for 
real-time intelligence and reconnaissance over 
ocean and coastal regions, maritime surveil- 
lance, and search and rescue. The first flight 
was on May 22, 2013. 

On June 2, the Solar Impulse 2 made its 
first flight, from Payerne, Switzerland, with 
Markus Scherdel at the controls. The Si2 is 
the second-generation aircraft from Solar Im- 
pulse, a project by Bertrand Piccard and An- 
dre Borschberg to circumnavigate the Earth 
using a piloted fixed-wing aircraft under so- 
lar power. The Si2 flew for two hours and 
17 minutes using stored battery power, and 
achieved a speed of 30 knots and an altitude 
of 5,500 feet. 



The GL-10 Greased Lightning 
unmanned aircraft. 


Solar Impulse 

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory com- 
pleted flight tests on June 28 for the Low- 
Density Supersonic Decelerator at the Navy’s 

Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. 
The LDSD is a space vehicle with a doughnut- 
shaped balloon that inflates around the ve- 
hicle during re-entry to generate atmospheric 
drag and decelerate the vehicle. For the tests, 
a high-altitude helium balloon carried the ve- 
hicle to 120,000 feet, where it was released 
and powered to Mach 4 at 180,000 feet. At 
Mach 3.8, the 20-foot Supersonic Inflatable 
Aerodynamic Decelerator slowed the vehicle 
to Mach 2.5 in 107 seconds. A parachute was 
also deployed but tore. The vehicle impacted 
the Pacific Ocean at between 20 and 30 mph, 
and all flight hardware was recovered. More 
tests are scheduled for 2015 and will incorpo- 
rate a redesigned parachute. 

The GL-10 Greased Lightning unmanned 
aircraft made its first flight in August, at NA- 
SA’s Langley Research Center. The GL-10 at- 
tempts to fulfill a need for an unmanned 
aircraft with long endurance and a ver- 
tical takeoff and landing capability. The 
aircraft has 10 electric-powered propel- 
lers — eight on a wing and two on a tail 
that both rotate relative to the fuselage. 
The test included a tethered hover of the 
GL-10, and further tests are planned for 
later this year. 

Lockheed Martin and NASA plan to 
launch the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew 
Vehicle on Exploration Flight Test-1 on 
Dec. 4 from Cape Canaveral Air Force 
Station in Florida. This is the first planned 
uncrewed test flight of the crew vehicle. 
The Orion spacecraft was designed to 
take astronauts past low-Earth orbit into 
deep space. A Delta IV heavy rocket will 
carry the spacecraft, where it is planned 
to achieve a high apogee on the second 
orbit and attain a high-energy re-entry of 
around 20,000 mph. A 


NASA Langley 


22 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 



TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


R esearch groups at Harvard University and 
the University of Alabama are investigat- 
ing bioinspired propulsion. Their recent stud- 
ies examine the role of micro-structures on 
shark skin, which has scales, called dendrites, 
with a highly complex geometry that works to 
delay flow separation and reduce drag. Both 
groups also have shown that the scales have 
a high degree of flexibility. They are passively 
actuated by the shark’s undulatory swimming 
motion, providing the necessary flow control 
to trigger drag reduction. 

Researchers at the George Washington 
University are investigating the kinematics 
and hydrodynamics of sea lion swimming. 
Using markerless tracking techniques, they 
digitally locate the sea lion’s fore flipper and 
track its motion throughout the propulsive 
“clap” stroke. This yields a mathematical de- 
scription of the clap kinematics that informs a 
hydrodynamic study of this stroke-based form 
of swimming. Modified direct linear transfor- 
mation codes that are typically used to track 
small birds and insects in flight have been 
employed for markerless tracking. The group 
is also investigating the micro-structure of sea 
lion fur and its potential hydrodynamic ef- 
fects. Other teams of researchers at GW work- 
ing in the Center for Biomimetics and Bioin- 
spired Engineering are studying flying snakes, 
sea turtles and locomotion of other animals. 

Caltech researchers have developed a 
scheme to estimate the pressure field from a 
velocity field (measured with particle image 
velocimetry). This is done by median polling 
of several integration paths through the pres- 
sure gradient field, which is calculated from 
the velocity field. A time series of the veloc- 
ity can be used to find the unsteady pressure 
field, or a single velocity measurement can 
find quasi-steady estimation. In addition to the 
pressure field, the code estimates the force on 
a body in the flowfield, and has been shown 
to match experimental force measurements. 

Researchers at the U.S. Naval Academy are 
developing tools for predicting frictional drag 
of flows over rough walls. The research fo- 
cuses on determining the relevant predictive 
scales based solely on the roughness topogra- 
phy. The roughness scales that best correlate 
the frictional drag in the fully rough region 
are the root mean square roughness height 
and the skewness of the roughness surface 
elevation probability density function. The 
peak-to-trough roughness height is the scale 
that indicates when a surface will no longer 
behave as hydraulically smooth. Current ex- 
periments focus on the transitionally rough 


regime with surface roughness that has sys- 
tematically changed surface parameters. 

The method of “dynamic mode decom- 
position with inputs” was used at Princeton 
University to develop low-dimensional mod- 
els for flow control applications. Rules were 
identified for switching between linear mod- 
els constructed at several different angles of 
attack. Good approximations to the nonlin- 
ear lift behavior of two-dimensional pitching 
wings were demonstrated in wind tunnel ex- 
periments at Illinois Institute of Technology. 
The ability to maintain a constant lift during 
randomized pitching maneuvers was demon- 
strated. A modified version of the Goman- 
Khrabrov model was also shown to be 
effective in controlling lift hysteresis 
during pitching maneuvers. 

Researchers at Cascade Tech- 
nologies of Palo Alto, California, 
have developed a new numerical 
method, enabling the first high- 
fidelity simulation of fuel spray 
atomization in realistic engine 
combustors. Their method, based 
on a high-fidelity volume-of-fluid 
approach, has been validated on 
a fuel injector typically found in 
gas turbine engines. Their simulations 
predicted fuel spray pattern and velocity 
within 5 percent accuracy and spray drop-size 
statistics within 20 percent accuracy. 

Stanford University and Cascade Tech- 
nologies researchers have developed a novel 
wall model for large-eddy simulation of tur- 
bulent flows. The wall model has predicted 
both attached and sepa- 
rated flows at high Reyn- 
olds number, including 
a nearly stalled airfoil. 

Other researchers in 
the same organizations 
have used supercomput- 
ers at Argonne National 
Laboratory to predict the 
thrust and heat transfer 
of a supersonic com- 
bustion ramjet engine 
from the Hypersonic In- 
ternational Flight Research Experimentation, 
or HIFiRE, program. Their simulation, based 
on large-eddy simulation and the flamelet 
method, highlighted a tenuous balance be- 
tween turbulent fluid dynamics and combus- 
tion at supersonic speeds. These simulations 
complement the flight tests in understanding 
the stability and operability of air-breathing 
hypersonic propulsion systems. A 


Advances in 
fluid dynamics 

by Michael W. Plesniak 
and Qiqi Wang 

The Fluid Dynamics 
Technical Committee 

focuses on the behaviors 
of liquids and gases 
in motion , and how those 
behaviors can be harnessed 
in aerospace systems. 




Scanning electron microscope 
photo of the skin and fur 
of a California sea lion. 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 23 


Megan Leftwich/George Washington University 



AEROSPACE SCIENCES 


Ground 
testing 
spans from 
hypersonics 
to rocketry 

By Ben Mills 

The Ground Testing 
Technical Committee 

focuses on evaluating 
aircraft launch vehicles , 
spacecraft structures , 
and engines in wind tunnels 
and other facilities. 


T his year was a busy one for ground testing 
and saw a wide variety of test techniques 
being employed to meet aerospace needs. 

In the hypersonic domain, a cone-shaped 
test article 6l inches long with a 7-degree 
slant angle was tested at Mach 10 inside Wind 
Tunnel 9 at the Arnold Engineering and De- 
velopment Complex. The goal was to reduce 
risk in hypersonic flight vehicle designs by 
improving ground test techniques for predict- 
ing flight boundary layer transition. 

In the transonic area, pressure sensi- 
tive paint was applied to a scaled model of 
an A-10 to obtain static pressure data dur- 
ing tests in AEDC’s 16-foot transonic tunnel, 
known as 16T. 

Also at AEDC, an Alliant Techsystems’s 
CASTOR 30XL developmental rocket mo- 
tor was tested in the J-6 Large Rocket Motor 
Test Facility. The upper stage rocket motor 
underwent final qualification static fire tests 
to boost the power of the Orbital Sciences 
Corp.’s Antares launch vehicle. 



A project engineer examines the 
illuminated temperature-sensitive 
paint coating on a 7-degree cone. 


U.S. Air Force 

Boeing and NASA completed wind tunnel 
testing at AEDC’s National Full-Scale Aerody- 
namics Complex on a full-scale 757 vertical 
tail model equipped with active flow control 
technology. A major objective of the tests was 
to show that active flow control can enhance 
the performance of a vertical tail. 

At NASA’s Glenn Research Center, re- 
searchers completed Rotating Rake Improve- 
ment Testing on the Advanced Noise Control 
Fan rig in the Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Lab. 
The ANCF rig was developed to test noise re- 
duction and noise measurement concepts and 
provide a flexible and realistic aero-acoustic 
source for CAA — computational aero-acoustic 
— code verification. At the Space Power Facil- 
ity vacuum chamber at Plum Brook Station, 
major refurbishments to the shroud system 


are underway to achieve temperatures rang- 
ing from 250 degrees below zero to 150 de- 
grees above zero to simulate the harsh envi- 
ronment of space. 

Also, a NASA advanced ion propulsion 
engine has operated for more than 48,000 
hours, or 5 and a half years, making it the 
longest test duration of any type of space 
propulsion system demonstration project. 
The 7-kilowatt class thruster could be used 
in a wide range of science missions, includ- 
ing deep space missions identified in NASA’s 
Planetary Science Decadal Survey. 

The 8-by-6-foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel 
at NASA Glenn has been involved in a series 
of tests over the past two years in support 
of sonic boom noise reduction goals. Also, a 
Mach stability test was conducted in the 8x6 
SWT. During the test, a proof-of-concept ex- 
periment to implement background-oriented 
schlieren in the harsh environment of the 8x6 
SWT was conducted. 

JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration 
Agency, conducted a demonstration test for 
performance seeking controls of a turbofan 
engine in the ground-level test facility at the 
Chofu Aerospace Center. The purpose of the 
test was to minimize specific fuel consump- 
tion. At the High Enthalpy Shock Tunnel, or 
HIEST, a wind tunnel campaign with a ge- 
neric test model was conducted to determine 
the root cause of radiation heating effects. 
A simple flat plate model instrumented with 
coaxial thermocouples was tested at stagna- 
tion enthalpies approaching 21 megajoules 
per kilogram. Also in the HIEST, a new free- 
flight technique based on onboard instru- 
ments was successfully developed. A wind 
tunnel test campaign with a generic model 
was conducted and the technique showed 
that it has enough accuracy to detect the 
high-temperature real-gas effect on pitching- 
moment coefficient. 

The European Transonic Wind Tunnel 

has enhanced its full-span model capabilities 
and productivity by improving its provisions 
to assess and mitigate model dynamics. ETW 
is testing and commissioning a new high- 
speed deformation measurement system to 
support model dynamics assessment. It is 
based on stereo pattern tracking using two 
cameras and discrete markers. New cam- 
eras allow a tracking frequency of up to 386 
hertz. Due to the relatively high sampling 
frequency and a target resolution of 0.1 mil- 
limeter in bend and 0.1 degree in twist, it 
will be well suited to identify relevant aero- 
elastic oscillations. A 


24 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 



TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


T he X-56A Multi-Utility Technology Test- 
bed, a modular, unmanned research flight 
vehicle designed to advance aeroelastic con- 
trol technologies, continued a series of test 
flights at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research 
Center in California. Technologies being in- 
vestigated include active flutter suppression 
and gust load mitigation in thin, light, high- 
aspect-ratio wings that are considered crucial 
to the future of long-range aircraft. With two 
center bodies, a set of stiff wings and three 
sets of flexible wings, the X-56A system ex- 
hibits multiple rigid-body and aeroelastic in- 
stabilities within its designed flight envelope. 
It is being tested in flight regimes that excite 
these instabilities to demonstrate that onboard 
instrumentation can not only accurately pre- 
dict and sense the onset of wing flutter, but 
that an onboard controller can actively sup- 
press aeroelastic instabilities. 

On March 8, Malaysia Airlines flight 
MH370 departed Kuala Lumpur en route to 
Beijing, checked in normally with ground sta- 
tions with its autonomous Aircraft Communi- 
cations Addressing and Reporting System for 
26 minutes after takeoff and via cockpit voice 
systems with Malaysian Air Traffic Control 
until handover to Vietnamese airspace, and 
then disappeared from contact. The aircraft’s 
ACARS was silenced, missing its next antici- 
pated transmission windows, and neither the 
cockpit crew nor the plane’s transponder units 
checked in with Vietnamese ATC and radar 
systems. Malaysian military radar logs sub- 
sequently placed the aircraft in unexpected 
flight points over the Andaman Sea — well 
west of its last transponder-reported location 
and far from its anticipated route. An Inmarsat 
satellite received hourly full or partial hand- 
shake signals from the aircraft’s ACARS unit 
for six hours after the military radar sighting, 
thus allowing a reconstruction of the path the 
plane might have flown and where it might 
have come down. Oceanic search corridors 
were then defined on the strength of these 
predictions. No trace of the aircraft has been 
detected to date. 

The disappearance of MH370 highlights 
the fact that there is no standing system for 
airlines and ATCs to track planes over the 
world’s ocean and desert regions. The Inter- 
national Civil Aviation Organization convened 
a meeting of specialists and experts in Mon- 
treal in May with the goal of defining a system 
that would obviate radar "dead zones" and 
provide tamper-proof coverage that cannot be 
disabled mid-flight while not adding risk to 
aircraft safety protocols. The working group is 


expected to converge on a design that lever- 
ages and works with the anticipated global 
ATC upgrade systems. 

Sentinel-1 A, the European Radar Obser- 
vatory, was launched in April and is fully op- 
erational. Designed and developed by the 
European Space Agency and funded by the 
European Commission, Sentinel- 1 A represents 
the first space component of the ambitious and 
unique Copernicus program, which aims to 
provide continuous operational Earth observa- 
tion data and services. The mission survived an 
extremely risky collision-avoidance maneuver 
during separation from the Soyuz launcher, be- 
fore the spacecraft’s GNC capacities were fully 
deployed. The potential encounter with an un- 
maneuverable NASA satellite outlined the risk 
posed by the high concentration of debris at 
low-Earth orbit altitude, around 600 kilometers. 


New control, 
tracking needs 
identified 

by Leena Singh 
and Luisella Giulicchi 

The Guidance , Navigation , 
and Control Technical 
Committee advances 
techniques ; devices , and 
systems for guiding and 
commanding flight vehicles. 



ESA 

Orbital Sciences Corp.’s Cygnus cargo 
carrier spacecraft lifted off twice this year, 
in January and July, on month-long missions 
to the International Space Station on the An- 
tares launch vehicle. A third mission in Octo- 
ber failed when the Antares rocket exploded 
shortly after liftoff. 

Cygnus uses its on-board thrusters to raise 
its orbit to rendezvous and berth with ISS. Cyg- 
nus delivered supplies to the station and de- 
parted loaded with unneeded trash, then fell 
harmlessly over an uninhabited area of the 
South Pacific Ocean. These missions were the 
first of eight planned commercial cargo resup- 
ply missions to the ISS under the NASA Com- 
mercial Resupply Services contract to deliver up 
to 20,000 kilograms of supplies to the station. A 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 25 



David Kao/AIAA Journal 


AEROSPACE SCIENCES 


A year of 
enhancement s, 
plus a ground- 
breaking vision 
document 

By James Masters 

The Meshing , Visualization , 
and Computational 
Environments (MVCE) 
Technical Committee 

explores the application 
of computer science to 
pre-processing ; post-processing , 
and infrastructure in support 
of computational simulation 
in the aerospace community. 



Clipped iso-surfaces are colored 
to highlight vortices from 
the geometric components 
of a compound helicopter — 
an aircraft with a wing/tail lifting 
system and a spinning rotor. 


G overnment, academia and industry inno- 
vated in 2014 often by applying syner- 
getic relationships. 

Personnel from Utah State University 
worked with NASA and the U.S. Army to con- 
tinue work on strand meshing and to develop 
efficient solution methods for strand grid ap- 
plications. Significant improvement was seen 
in the convergence of test cases using a new 
multigrid algorithm, and a new discretization 
strategy was introduced to better tolerate mesh 
skewness induced by strand smoothing. 

Pointwise Inc., working with the U.S. Air 
Force, added the ability to set up, execute, 
and visualize an overset grid assembly. Over- 
set meshing remains an industry-standard 
method for analyzing bodies moving in prox- 
imity to one another. Also on the mesh gener- 
ation front, several advancements were made 
to Capstone, developed under the Depart- 
ment of Defense’s Computational 
Research and Engineering Acqui- 
sition Tools and Environments 
or CREATE program, including 
improved repair of geometries, 
modeling of multi-body configu- 
rations using an overset approach 
and automated generation of 
boundary-layer meshes, including 
sliding-planes for moving parts. 

In the visualization arena, 
Intelligent Light continued to 
evolve its flagship product Field- 
view to adapt to the computa- 
tional fluid dynamics trend of 
utilizing ever-growing datasets by allowing 
parallel post-processing and visualization, 
providing tools to isolate surfaces without 
having to access the larger volume data 



Tecplot Chorus software allows engineers 
to compare multiple simulation cases 
in a single environment. 


and by incorporating Visit, which provides 
a scalable infrastructure for parallel analysis 
and visualization. Likewise, visualization is- 
sues were also addressed with Tecplot’s new 
Chorus tool to compare multiple simulation 
cases in a single environment. 

Work was performed at the Arnold Engi- 
neering Development Complex to improve 
a framework for control and communica- 
tion between multiple software packages 
for multidisciplinary simulations. Though 
quite flexible and widely used for complex 
store separation simulations using CFD, the 
framework’s underlying methodology led to 
inefficient operation for extremely complex or 
long-duration simulations. A new method was 
developed that employs a client-server ap- 
proach allowing more efficient operation and 
memory-based storage. 

Also in 2014, the aerodynamic phenome- 
non of vortex interactions in helicopter rotor 
wakes was widely investigated. These wakes 
are visualized using enhanced flow visual- 
ization techniques and in turn play a crucial 
role in understanding the dynamics of these 
complex flows. A paper on this topic, “Visu- 
alization and Analysis of Vortex Features in 
Helicopter Rotor Wakes” (AIAA-2013-1162), 
was this year’s recipient of the AIAA MVCE 
Technical Committee’s Shahyar Pirzadeh Best 
Paper Award. Research presented in this pa- 
per demonstrated iso-surfaces clipped in a 
3-D volume to reduce visual clutter and flow 
textures used to highlight vortical flow struc- 
ture and vortex- wake interactions. 

A focal point of CFD thought was pub- 
lished this year, “CFD Vision 2030 Study: A 
Path to Revolutionary Computational Aerosci- 
ences.” This study identified seven anchors 
that contribute to the recently perceived 
stagnation of CFD capability advancement 
that may prevent CFD from timely movement 
along the trajectory required to deliver revo- 
lutionary capabilities by 2030. Three of the 
seven anchors pertain to MVCE: mesh genera- 
tion as an onerous bottleneck, the burden of 
extracting engineering data from large num- 
bers of large datasets, and the challenge of 
standardizing the exchange of data within 
multidisciplinary frameworks. 

These issues are being addressed by many 
organizations taking different paths to lessen 
the burden on the engineering analyst. The 
MVCE community remains committed to con- 
tinue tracking the progress of the technolo- 
gies within the scope of its mission and us- 
ing its resources to influence the trajectory of 
their development. A 


26 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


Tecplot 



TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


T he year brought important strides in 
plasma-enhanced combustion, new di- 
agnostic techniques, flow control and laser 
physics. An AIAA discussion group made up 
of members of academia, industry and gov- 
ernment also culminated a multiyear effort 
by producing a forward-looking white paper, 
“Plasma Aerodynamics: Current Status and Fu- 
ture Directions.” 

Significant progress has been made in the 
non-equilibrium plasma kinetic mechanisms 
for plasma-assisted combustion through 
the Multidisciplinary Research Program of 
the University Research Initiative sponsored 
by the Air Force Office of 
Scientific Research. Re- 
searchers from Ohio State, 

Princeton University, Penn- 
sylvania State and Georgia 
Tech have developed and 
validated detailed combus- 
tion kinetic models for hy- 
drocarbon fuels, and have 
developed new diagnostic techniques for 
high pressure combustion environments. 

A study undertaken by researchers from 
the Ecole Polytechnique, Moscow State Uni- 
versity and the University of Michigan looked 
at superfast energy transfer from the electric 
field to gas heating. The study showed that 
fast ionization waves can lead to high energy 
density and fast gas heating due to electronic 
relaxation, with atomic oxygen playing a key 
role in the process. 

Researchers at the Air Force Research 
Laboratory have carried out numerical simu- 
lations to explore plasma-based flow control 

on geometries that were representative of 
panel gaps on wing sections that disrupt lami- 
nar flow, thereby increasing skin friction and 
drag. Dielectric barrier discharge plasma ac- 
tuators were employed to delay transition and 
it was shown that the integrated drag of the 
configuration could be significantly reduced. 

A new method has been developed at 
Princeton for quantifying localized plasma 
evolution based on Rayleigh, depolarized 
Rayleigh, Filtered Rayleigh and Thomson 
scattering. Simultaneous images of these scat- 
tering phenomena taken through the plasma, 
and referenced to scattering from the sur- 
rounding unperturbed air, to provide spatially 
resolved, quantitative measurements of den- 
sity, dissociation fraction, electron tempera- 
ture and density, shock wave velocity and 
other time-evolving quantities. 

Laser development has been very ac- 
tive, particularly within military demonstra- 



Princeton University 


tion programs. Laser technology programs 
have shown progress toward demonstrating 
the viability of lasers as weapon systems. The 
Air Force Research Laboratory’s Directed En- 
ergy Directorate and the Defense Advanced 
Research Projects Agency are developing the 
Demonstrator Laser Weapon System based 
on the General Atomics distributed gain 
solid-state laser technology previously de- 
veloped with DARPA funding. The Defense 
Department High Energy Laser Joint Tech- 
nology Office Robust Electric Laser Initiative 
demonstrated fiber and solid state laser tech- 
nologies that have been expanded into pro- 
grams within the services. 
The Army is developing 
a ground-based defense 
system and the Navy a 
helicopter-based system, 
both derived from the Ro- 
bust Electric Laser Initia- 
tive. Separately, DARPA 
and the Missile Defense 
Agency have fiber laser system development 
programs intended to demonstrate the ability 
to combine many separate fiber laser ampli- 
fiers with high beam quality. The underlying 
theme across these programs is the demon- 
stration of high power with Airborne Aero- 
Optics Laboratory good beam quality. 

Within the arena of aero-effects, the Air- 
borne Aero-Optics Laboratory-Transonic pro- 
gram at the University of Notre Dame, funded 
by the Defense Department’s la- 
ser office and AFRL’s Directed 
Energy Directorate, began flight 
testing turret configurations on 
a Falcon 10 aircraft donated by 
Notre Dame benefactor Matthew 
G. McDevitt. These tests are col- 
lecting wavefront data for Mach 
0.8 and above, bringing more 
transonic phenomenon such as 
weak shocks into consideration 
for the aero-effects problem 
than were addressed in the ear- 
lier AAOL program. These flight 
tests will allow test data to be 
collected for various turret con- 
figurations, assessing applica- 
bility within the transonic flight 
regime. Elsewhere AFRL is push- 
ing aero-effects investigation 
further into the compressible regime, per- 
forming turret boundary layer characteriza- 
tion experiments at the Trisonic Gasdynamic 
Facility located at AFRL’s Aerospace Systems 
Directorate in Dayton, Ohio. A 


Studies explore 
new plamsa 
applications 

by Michael D. White 
and Timothy J. Madden 

The Plasmadynamics and 
Lasers Technical Committee 

works to apply the physical 
properties and dynamic 
behavior of plasmas 
to aeronautics , astronautics 
and energy. 


Hyperspectral Thomson scattering 
profiles of laser spark evolution, 
together with Rayleigh scattering 
from the surrounding air, 
yields the spatial profile of the 
time-evolving electron temperature 
and density. 


Effect of a plasma actuator 
on a rearward facing step used 
to model a panel mismatch 
on a wing. 



Air Force Research Laboratory 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 27 


AEROSPACE SCIENCES 


Large- and 

small-scale 
developments in 
thermophysics 

by Andrew Williams 
and Derek Hengeeld 

The Thermophysics 
Technical Committee 

promotes the study and 
application of mechanisms 
involved in thermal energy 
transfer and storage 
in gases , liquids and solids , 
or combinations. 


Northrop Grumman engineers 
stack and unfurl a full-sized test 
unit of the sunshield for NASA's 
James Webb Space Telescope. 


T his year brought both large- and small- 
scale developments in the held of ther- 
mophysics. In July, the sunshield for NASA’s 
James Webb Space Telescope completed its 
first deployment test at a Northrop Grum- 
man facility in Redondo Beach, California. 
The five-layer sunshield, unfolded to a final 
size of 12-by-18 meters, protects the telescope 
from solar heating and passively cools infra- 
red science instruments to 45 kelvins. It also 
separates the warm and cold sides of the tele- 
scope to provide a thermally stable environ- 
ment for precise alignment of the telescope’s 
18 primary mirrors. 

To support development of the Webb 
telescope, NASA Goddard Space Flight Cen- 
ter’s Cryogenics and Fluids Branch imple- 
mented a new approach for measuring total 
hemispheric emissivity of thermal coatings 
at cryogenic temperatures. The technique, 
carried out in a 10-kelvin cryostat, simulates 
radiative heat exchange between parallel 
plates and provides an emissivity measure- 
ment with better than 1 percent precision for 
temperatures between 300 and 20 kelvins. 
Using this approach, engineers characterized 
several candidate surface treatments for ra- 
diator surfaces and for absorbers to reduce 
stray thermal radiation in the region of the 
telescope’s detectors. Once launched, the 
Webb telescope will be the most powerful 
sent to space and will provide scientists an 
unprecedented ability to detect distant ob- 
jects and to look back in time at the origins 
of the universe. 

On a much smaller scale, oscillating heat 
pipes, or OHPs, an emerging passive thermal 
control technology, took a major step forward 
to commercialization. ThermAvant Technolo- 
gies, in collaboration with the Air Force Re- 



search Laboratory Space Vehicles Director- 
ate, developed and tested a rapid, lower-cost 
manufacturing method for a high thermal 
conductivity OHP heat spreader. Costing a 
fraction to produce compared with traditional 
technologies, the measured thermal conduc- 
tivity for the 0.08-inch-thick heat spreader 
was greater than 1,500 watts per meter kelvin, 
which is nine times greater than aluminum. 

An OHP consists of a capillary-sized ser- 
pentine channel partially filled with a working 
fluid, such as the refrigerant R-134a. Evapora- 
tion and condensation of the fluid between 
hot and cold sections of the device create a 
pressure imbalance that causes fluid oscil- 
lations through the length of the channels. 
Rapid oscillation quickly and efficiently trans- 
ports heat away from hot components, such 
as high power processors and power ampli- 
fiers. Because OHPs consist of millimeter-size 
channels, they are easily scaled to a wide 
range of patterns and device sizes. 

Also in the area of two-phase thermal 
transport, researchers at UCLA recently de- 
veloped and tested an inorganic aqueous 
solution that is compatible with aluminum 
and steel phase change heat-transfer devices. 
Bench-top lifetime testing showed minimal 
gas generation after 10 weeks for devices 
filled with the solution. Conversely, similar 
devices filled with water failed within min- 
utes of start-up. 

Water is one of the best heat-transfer flu- 
ids for phase change devices, but it has lim- 
ited use in aerospace systems because it reacts 
with some metals to create non-condensable 
gases, which cause performance degradation 
and eventual device failure in phase change 
heat transfer devices. UCLA’s novel solution 
simultaneously inhibited the creation of NCGs 
and significantly increased heat-transfer per- 
formance by creating a hydrophilic micro- 
structure on the metallic surface. 

Finally, this year AFRL’s Active Ther- 
mal Tile experiment completed operation 
aboard the International Space Station. ATTs 
are variable conductance thermal interface 
gaskets that use thermoelectric devices to 
modulate heat transfer between a compo- 
nent and a spacecraft structure. Developed 
by AFRL/RV in conjunction with the Depart- 
ment of Defense Space Test Program and 
Infoscitex Corp., the devices control compo- 
nent temperatures within 0.1 kelvin despite 
spacecraft temperature fluctuations. This is 
especially useful for components with tight 
temperature requirements such as batteries, 
sensors and clocks. A 


28 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


NASA 



4 

2015 


10-12 MARCH 2015 


LAUREL, MARYLAND 


WHERE COMPLEX 
DEFENSE CHALLENGES 
MEET GLOBAL SOLUTIONS 


P 



The AIAA Defense and Security Forum 
(AIAA DEFENSE 2015) will give you classified 
and unclassified discussions of technical, 
programmatic, and policy issues pertaining to 
aerospace in U.S. national security. 


Featuring: 

• AIAA Missile Sciences Conference 

• AIAA National Forum on Weapon 
System Effectiveness 

• AIAA Strategic and Tactical Missile 
Systems Conference 


This three-day conference will focus on: 

• Long Range Conventional Strike 

• Defense Acquisition 

• Major Service Weapon Systems 

• Cybersecurity 

• Air Force and Navy Strategic Missiles 

• Tactical Systems 

• Missile Defense Systems 

• National Defense Strategy 

• Interceptor Technologies 

• Innovative Technologies 

• Unmanned Weapon Systems 

• Non-Kinetic Test and Evaluation 

• Modeling and Simulation 


Register Today! 

aiaa-defense.org 

A SECRET /U.S. ONLY forum 


&AIAA 

Shaping the Future of Aerospace 


15-511 



AIRCRAFT AND ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEMS 


Advances in 

aerodynamic 

deceleration 

by Jean Potvin 
and Lauren S. Shook 

The Aerodynamic 
Decelerator Systems 
Technical Committee 

focuses on decelerating 
manned and unmanned 
vehicles via parachutes , 
pararotors, and inflatable 
decelerators. 


Technicians prepare the Hypersonic 
Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator 
for structural loads testing in the 
Flight Loads Laboratory at NASA's 
Armstrong Flight Research Center. 


D evelopment testing of Orion’s Capsule 
Parachute Assembly System is nearly 
complete in anticipation of a critical design 
review in 2015. Highlights from the past year 
included two end-to-end tests in which the 
forward bay cover was jettisoned from the 
boiler plate before CPAS deployment. Testing 
was conducted in coordination with the Army 
Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona and the Air 
Force Material Command’s 412th Test Wing. 
The CPAS team has also demonstrated the 
test capability to implement the low-velocity 
air drop technique from 35,000 feet mean sea 
level. This provides the ability to test at the 
nominal Orion deployment point for space- 
craft entry from space. In addition, CPAS was 
integrated into the Orion Exploration Flight 
Test-1 capsule, scheduled for December. 

The Army has placed an emphasis on 
maximizing the accuracy, reliability and sur- 
vivability of autonomously guided cargo air- 
drops while minimizing cost; size, weight 
and power requirements; and component 
retrograde. The Natick Soldier Research, De- 
velopment and Engineering Center has been 
developing guidance, navigation and control 
algorithms that employ visual data for use in 
GPS-denied or -degraded regions, avionics 
components and sensor networks, advanced 
wind measurement techniques, and autono- 
mously actuated canopy vents for latitudinal 
and longitudinal system control. In addition, 
Natick and its partners fielded a High Speed 



m 

Mrr 

mwm 

11 V 

1 1 

r 

tjwl 

rlllPV 


W7 

H 

U 1 


1 OT a " 

«v 


Container Delivery System, which was first 
used in Afghanistan. The HSCDS can airdrop 
eight CDSs (up to 16,000 pounds) from an al- 
titude of 250 feet at 250 knots indicated air- 
speed. That is significantly lower and faster 
than typical CDS airdrops of 500 feet and 140 
knots, and will improve the survivability of 
aircraft and crews while providing a tighter 
dispersion and increased accuracy. 

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Low- 
Density Supersonic Decelerator project, part 
of the Space Mission Technology Directorate, 
conducted the first high-altitude, supersonic 
flight tests of the next generation of aerody- 
namic decelerators for future Mars missions. 
Primarily a shake-out flight, the test lofted a 
4.7-meter blunt-body aeroshell to an altitude 
of over 30 kilometers using a 34-million-cu- 
bic-foot balloon. The test vehicle was released 
from the balloon and accelerated to above 
Mach 4 and an altitude of 54 kilometers, 
where a 6-meter-diameter Supersonic Inflat- 
able Aerodynamic Decelerator was deployed 
and used to slow the vehicle. The flight also 
saw the deployment and inflation of a large 
4.4-meter-diameter trailing ballute at approxi- 
mately Mach 2.7. A supersonic parachute was 
also deployed but was severely damaged dur- 
ing supersonic inflation. 

NASA’s Langley Research Center has also 
been working on the Hypersonic Inflatable 
Aerodynamic Decelerator project. An in- 
tegrated 10-meter-class static load test was 
completed on the flexible thermal protection 
system, or F-TPS, integrated with the inflat- 
able structure. Instrumentation checks were 
done for strap load cells and foil gauges. The 
team used instrumentation to measure the 
load carried by the F-TPS. Preliminary results 
indicated the F-TPS is carrying approximately 
25 percent of the total load. Tests were con- 
ducted using a variety of inflation pressures 
and load cases. 

NASA’s Ames Research Center completed 
Arc Jet testing of woven carbon fabric joints 
for the Adaptable, Deployable Entry Place- 
ment Technology program. ADEPT is a me- 
chanically deployable semi-rigid aeroshell 
entry system. Two-inch-wide joints were 
tested at 100 watts per square centimeter 
over a two-minute duration under a 100 
pound-force per inch load. Both the carbon 
stitching and the carbon gore fabric survived 
the test. A resin-infused joint tested was 
found to be more resistant to layer loss. Ad- 
ditionally, there was excellent validation of 
pre-test CFD predictions with the Arc Jet test 
observations. A 


30 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


NASA 


TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 



Design pushes 
the innovation 
envelope 

by Dyna Benchergui 
and Charlie Svoboda 

The Aircraft Design 
Technical Committee 

promotes optimization 
of aircraft systems , 
inducting analysis 
of their future potential. 


T he Navy and Northrop Grumman com- 
pleted testing of the autonomous X-47B 
Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator 
aboard the aircraft carrier Theodore Roos- 
evelt in August, showing the airplane’s ability 
to operate alongside manned naval aircraft. 
Demonstrations included launches and recov- 
eries alongside F/A-18 fighter jets, wing-fold 
and tailhook retraction system testing, jet blast 
deflector testing, flight deck night operations 
and flying qualities evaluation. 

The Naval Research Laboratory dem- 
onstrated its first stealthy launch of an un- 
manned aerial vehicle from a submerged 
submarine. Developed in under six years, 
the all-electric fuel cell powered folding wing 
Sea Robin Experimental Fuel Cell aircraft was 
fired from the submarine torpedo tube. 

The Navy completed initial flight testing 
of the Northrop Grumman-developed MQ-4C 
Triton, a maritime version of the Global Hawk 
high-altitude unmanned aircraft. The Navy 
also established a Triton training center and 
the first operational squadron. Initial deploy- 
ment is planned for 2017. 

Under DARPA’s Aerial Reconfigurable 
Embedded System program, Lockheed Martin 
Skunk Works and Piasecki Aircraft completed 
detail design of a twin ducted fan, modular 
vertical takeoff and landing unmanned air- 
plane and are proceeding with fabrication and 
flight testing in 2015. The aircraft will demon- 
strate VTOL, transition, and cruise flight with 
and without a modular cargo payload. 

The Army is completing operational evalu- 
ation of Raytheon’s Joint Land Attack Cruise 
Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor aero- 
stat system — known as JLENS — following 
completion of system design in December 
2013. Designed to detect and track missiles 
and aircraft, JLENS consists of two tethered air- 


ships floating at 10,000 feet to provide radar 
coverage over an area the size of Texas. 

In manned aircraft developments, the Air 
Force released the final request for propos- 
als for its high-priority Long Range Strike 
Bomber, which will replace the Bl-B, B-2 
and B-52 fleets. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter 
program continued flight test progress, in- 
cluding weapons separation and software 
compatibility. The fleet surpassed 19,500 
flight hours. Under its Maritime Surveillance 
Aircraft program, Boeing finished modify- 
ing a Bombardier Challenger 605 to carry 
mission systems from the P-8A Poseidon, 
achieving first flight in February. 

The Airbus A320neo (new engine option) 
completed its first flight, and the A350-900 re- 
mained on schedule to receive EASA type cer- 
tification. Boeing’s 787-9 achieved FAA type 
certification and the 787-10, the largest 787 so 
far, completed firm configuration milestone. 
Bombardier’s Challenger 350, Learjet 70, and 
Learjet 75 received full type certification and 
the Learjet 85 began flight testing. Cessna’s Ci- 
tation CJ3+ received FAA type certification. A 


The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System 
Demonstrator conducts flight operations 
aboard the carrier Theodore Roosevelt. 



U.S. Navy 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 31 




AIRCRAFT AND ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEMS 


Examining 
flight statistics 

by Karen Marais 
The Aircraft Operations 
Technical Committee 

promotes safe and efficient 
flights in the airspace 
system by encouraging 
information sharing among 
the community and 
government agencies. 


E 

D 

o 

a> 

Q_ 


Jet fuel prices in October 2014 
were on average 1 7 percent 
lower than in October 201 3. 


U .S. air transportation operations contin- 
ued their gradual rebound from the eco- 
nomic collapse of 2009. Domestic passenger 
enplanements increased from 698,813 in 
May 2012 to 703,398 in May 2013, accord- 
ing to Transportation Department statistics 
released in 2014. The trend was different in 
Europe, where statistics from the European 
Union show passenger arrivals and depar- 
tures decreasing from 826,463,402 in 2012 
to 632,490,333 in 2013, as airlines chase an 
elusive recovery. 

Jet fuel prices continued to drop around 
the world. The price in October 2014 was 
on average 17 percent lower than the price 
in October 2013, according to the Interna- 
tional Air Transport Association. Combined 
with higher load factors and higher overall 
traffic, most carriers showed good financial 
results and were rewarded by the stock mar- 
kets. However, low cargo revenues and ris- 
ing costs for Chinese carriers weighed on 
regional financial performance in the Asia- 
Pacific region, according to IATA. 


In April, Wichita State and Embry-Riddle 
universities released their annual Airline Qual- 
ity Rating. Based on 2013 data, they gave the 
U.S. airline industry its best overall perfor- 
mance ratings to date. Although only 78.4 
percent of flights arrived on time compared 
to 81.8 percent in 2012, and incidents of bag- 
gage mishandling increased from 3.07 per 
1,000 passengers in 2012 to 3.21 per 1,000 
passengers in 2013, airlines received fewer 


customer complaints: 1.13 per 100,000 pas- 
sengers in 2013 versus 1.43 per 100,000 pas- 
sengers in 2012. In addition, fewer passengers 
were denied boarding, with data showing a 
decline from 0.97 denials per 10,000 passen- 
gers in 2012 to 0.81 per 10,000 passengers in 
2013. The downward trend in on-time arrivals 
is worrisome, especially as traffic levels con- 
tinue to pick up. 

When it comes to safety, 2014 saw sev- 
eral large aircraft accidents. In March, Ma- 
laysia Airlines flight 370 disappeared some- 
where over the Pacific with 239 people 
aboard. July was a particularly tragic month. 
An Air Algerie flight crashed in Mali, killing 
all 116 occupants; a TransAsia Airways plane 
crashed in Taiwan, killing 48 of the 58 oc- 
cupants; and Malaysia Airlines flight 17 was 
shot down over Ukraine, killing all 298 on 
board. Although the death toll for 2014 will 
be at least double that of 2013 (265 fatali- 
ties), overall commercial aviation continues 
to be remarkably safe, especially in North 
America and Europe, according to statistics 
from the Flight Safety 
Foundation’s Avia- 
tion Safety Network. 

In air traffic con- 
trol developments, a 
disgruntled employee 
started a fire at an Air 
Traffic Control Facil- 
ity in Aurora, Illinois, 
in October. Thou- 
sands of flights across 
the United States 
were cancelled over 
several days while 
controllers at other 
centers stood in for 
the disabled Aurora 
center. While the air 
traffic control system 
maintained safety, 
this unprecedented 
event revealed an 
unexpected risk to 
air traffic operations. 

Operations continue to be a popular 
research topic, with more than 20 sessions 
covering operations at AIAA’s Aviation 2014 
Forum in Atlanta in June. Research contin- 
ued on topics related to air traffic control 
across all flight phases. Unmanned aerial 
systems and how they could be integrated 
into the airspace are gaining increasing at- 
tention. Electric propulsion also continues to 
be a topic of interest. A 



32 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 



TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


T he global airline industry continued to 
grow in 2014, with profits projected to 
expand from $12.9 billion in 2013 to $18.7 bil- 
lion by the end of this year. Key factors driv- 
ing this increase include continued improve- 
ment in overall economic conditions, greater 
air cargo volumes and stable fuel prices. 
However, the razor-thin profit margin of 2.3 
percent is susceptible to various risks, includ- 
ing the possibility of higher fuel prices due to 
political crises around the world. In addition, 
new orders for Airbus and Boeing aircraft are 
expected to be half of the nearly 3,000 or- 
dered in 2013. 

Australia saw the world’s first Automatic 
Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast mandates 
come into effect. ADS-B is a satellite-based 
technology that enables aircraft to be accu- 
rately and reliably tracked by air traffic con- 
trollers and other pilots without conventional 
radar. Australia’s network of 6l ADS-B ground 
stations improves operational efficiency, es- 
pecially in non-radar airspace that comprises 
the majority of continental Australia. ADS-B 
is now required for aircraft flying at or above 
29,000 feet in Australian airspace. Further- 
more, all new aircraft registrations must be 
ADS-B capable to operate under instrument 
flight rules. 

In the United States, the integration and 
implementation of NextGen technologies, 
concepts and procedures continues. The de- 
ployment of the 634 ground stations that com- 
prise the nation’s ADS-B ground infrastructure 
was completed in March. In addition, the En 
Route Automation Modernization system that 
enables many NextGen capabilities is planned 
to be fully operational at all 20 centers in the 
National Airspace System by mid-2015. 



NASA has been collaborating with the FAA 
and industry partners to develop advanced 
automation tools to enable safer, more reli- 
able and more efficient arrival operations. In 
July, NASA transferred to the FAA its Termi- 
nal Sequencing and Spacing tool. TSS will 
help air traffic controllers manage the spac- 
ing between aircraft as they perform more ef- 
ficient, performance-based navigation arrival 
procedures. TSS was validated in a series of 
large-scale, high-fidelity, human-in-the-loop 
simulations performed jointly by NASA, FAA 
and MITRE’s Center for Advanced Aviation 
System Development. 

This year saw significant attention toward 
unmanned aircraft operations in the Na- 
tional Airspace System. The FAA approved 
all six proposed test sites, which are con- 
ducting two-year research programs to col- 
lect data on technologies and operations re- 
quired to safely integrate unmanned aircraft 
into the NAS. Separately, a group of govern- 
ment and industry partners is working under 
the Radio Technical Commission for Aero- 
nautics to develop performance standards 
for detect-and-avoid systems and command- 
and-control datalinks for 
larger unmanned aircraft 
flying outside of busy ter- 
minal areas expected by 
July. In addition, the long- 
awaited draft rule for small 
unmanned aircraft opera- 
tions should be released 
by the end of 2014. Lastly, 
the first approved private, 
domestic, commercial un- 
manned aircraft are now 
operating in specially des- 
ignated areas of the Arctic. 

In March, Malaysia Airlines flight 370 van- 
ished en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. 
An analysis by British satellite telecommuni- 
cations company Inmarsat, corroborated by 
various international organizations, concluded 
that the Boeing 777 turned west and then 
south. Its fate remains a mystery as the search 
continues in the southern Indian Ocean. The 
disappearance of such a large aircraft without 
a trace is unprecedented, and an international 
effort is underway to mandate that all airline 
flights be tracked continuously regardless of 
their location. Meanwhile, starting in 2013, 
Virginia-based Iridium Communications will 
launch a new constellation of communica- 
tions satellites with ADS-B receivers that will 
enable tracking of ADS-B-equipped aircraft in 
oceanic airspace. A 


Better 

tracking and 
management 

by David Thipphavong, 
Joseph Post and 
Jesper Bronsvoort 

The Air Transportation 
Systems Technical 
Committee fosters 
improvements to transport 
systems and studies the 
impacts of new aerospace 
technologies. 


NASA's Terminal Sequencing 
and Spacing tool enables more 
efficient approaches into airports. 



NOAA 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 33 



AIRCRAFT AND ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEMS 


Testing 

manned, 

unmanned and 
space systems 

by Jay Brandon 

The Flight Testing Technical 
Committee focuses on 
testing of aircraft ; spacecraft , 
missiles or other vehicles 
in their natural environments. 



Textron AirLand 


F ocus continued to increase this year on 
the testing of unmanned aircraft systems, 
with the FAA announcing the selection of six 
operators of unmanned aircraft test sites. 

The test site operators are the University 
of Alaska (including ranges in Hawaii and Or- 
egon), the state of Nevada, Griffiss Interna- 
tional Airport in New York (including ranges 
in Massachusetts), the North Dakota Chamber 
of Commerce, Texas A&M University-Corpus 
Christi, and Virginia Tech (including ranges in 
New Jersey). 

The Northrop Grumman X-47B Un- 
manned Combat Air System demonstrator was 
launched from an aircraft carrier in August 
and operated alongside an F/A-18E above the 
Atlantic Ocean, demonstrating the first inte- 
gration of carrier-based drones and manned 
fighter jets. Phantom Eye, a Boeing-designed 
hydrogen-powered unmanned demonstrator 
for high-altitude, long-duration flight, com- 
pleted its seventh and eighth flights and has 
now demonstrated flight endurance of more 
than 5 V 2 hours and altitudes greater than 
43,000 feet. 

Sikorsky’s Optionally Piloted Black Hawk 

Demonstrator performed autonomous hover 
and flight operations on March 11 in a step 
toward providing the U.S. Army with an au- 
tonomous cargo delivery capability. 

In manned aircraft highlights, the Bom- 
bardier Learjet 85 business jet completed its 
first flight on April 9, flying over two hours 
at altitudes up to 30,000 feet and speeds up 
to 230 knots. The Textron AirLand Scorpion, 
a demonstration aircraft developed as a low- 
cost tactical jet option for low-threat missions, 
conducted its first flight on Dec. 12, 2013. The 
Scorpion progressed from initial design to first 
flight in less than 24 months. 

The Lockheed Martin F-35B, the short- 
takeoff/vertical-landing variant of the new 
fighter, demonstrated air-to-air combat capa- 
bility on May 27 with the sequential engage- 


ment of two aerial targets with two AIM- 120 
advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles — 
the first dual-AMRAAM shot from any F-35 
variant. The F-35B also completed wet run- 
way testing. And on May 27, an F-35C, the 
aircraft carrier variant, completed landing tests 
at maximum sink-speeds, demonstrating the 
structural readiness for tests at sea. Ground 
collision avoidance systems were tested on 
the F-16, F-22A and F-35. 

NASA, the German Aerospace Center and 
the National Research Council of Canada par- 
ticipated in tests of the effects of renewable 
fuels on the environment. A NASA HU-25C 
Falcon, a German Falcon 20-E5, and a Cana- 
dian CT-133 trailed a NASA DC-8 burning var- 
ious blends of JP-8 and renewable alternative 
fuels to observe and measure emissions and 
contrail characteristics. 

The application of modern design of ex- 
periments techniques to many projects re- 
sulted in vastly improved efficiencies, and a 
near-real-time six-degrees-of-freedom non- 
linear aerodynamic modeling capability was 
demonstrated on a test jet aircraft during a 
joint NASA-National Test Pilot School project. 
The test provided real-time maneuver guid- 
ance to the pilot and resulted in global non- 
linear aerodynamic models, developed and 
validated over a full flight envelope, all com- 
pleted before landing on a single flight. 

In space-related tests, the Morpheus 
Lander, a NASA project that uses nontoxic 
propellants — methane and oxygen — per- 
formed a nighttime landing in May during 
which objects in a hazard field where auto- 
matically avoided. 

A NASA F/A-18 research aircraft was used 
to evaluate the autonomous flight control sys- 
tem being developed for the Space Launch 
System rocket. SLS-like trajectories were 
flown while using the Adaptive Augmenting 
Controller, designed to allow the SLS to re- 
spond to winds and vehicle flexibility. A 



34 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


U.S. Navy 


TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 



H ybrid Air Vehicles in the U.K. began 
reassembling the former Long Endur- 
ance Multi-intelligence Vehicle, the airship 
it bought back from the U.S. Department of 
Defense in 2013 following the project’s can- 
cellation. HAV had originally worked on de- 
signing and building LEMV on a team led by 
Northrop Grumman. After purchasing the 
airship, the company received a £2.3 million 
($4 million) grant from the U.K. government’s 
Technology Strategy Board to work on fur- 
ther engineering development of a heavy-lift 
variant of the craft. The new version, named 
HAV 304, is being built from LEMV’s compo- 
nents and will have an empty payload mod- 
ule. For its first few months of flight the HAV 
304 will be considered a civil craft, pending a 
government decision on whether to approve 
that designation. U.K. Civil Aviation Author- 
ity flight trials are expected to end in April. 
Scheduled flights include one to North Amer- 
ica in October 2013, to demonstrate the air- 
ship’s commercial potential, and other flights 
to destinations of military interest. 

The Spirit of Goodyear airship was de- 
commissioned after 14 years of aerial advertis- 
ing and was recognized by Guinness World 
Records for being the “longest continuously 
operating airship.” The blimp was moored 
outside the Wingfoot Lake hangar in Ohio to 
make room for assembly of the new Zeppelin 
NT German semi-rigid airship. The decom- 
missioned blimp was then flown to Good- 
year’s Florida base in Pompano Beach. 

Russia’s Augur RosAeroSystems showed 
renewed interest in airships, having flown its 
55-meter-long AU-30 blimp at the recently re- 
opened “dirigibledrome” in 
central Russia. The AU-30 
has a maximum payload 
of half a ton. It has flown 
100 kilometers to the Rus- 
sian air show known as 
MAKS, or International 
Aviation and Space Salon. 

The Atlant airship, an Au- 
gur project still in the de- 
sign phase, would carry 16 
tons of cargo. 

At Aeros Corp., based 
in Montebello, California, 
the Dragon Dream dem- 
onstration vehicle com- 
pleted its flight testing 
phase, and the company 
is moving ahead on devel- 
opment of two larger ver- 
sions — the 66-ton-payload 


ML-866 and the 250-ton-payload ML-868. The 
prototype was damaged early this year when 
part of its hangar roof collapsed, causing a 
delay of about 10 months. But the project is 
back on track, says Aeros, and the company 
is planning to build 18 of the larger ships and 
four of the smaller ones. 

Boling Associates, a Fresno, California, 
ad agency, plans to take advertising to the 
skies with a fully functional hot-air craft. The 
135,000-cubic-foot airship carries four passen- 
gers and has 4,500 square feet of available ad- 
vertising space. The craft, made in Germany 
by Gefa-Flug, takes only 45 minutes to inflate. 
It has a maximum speed of 23 mph and can 
fly up to five hours on a full tank of gas. After 
flying, it is deflated and folded up. This air- 
ship is much less expensive to operate than a 
traditional helium-filled type. 

A little-publicized airship but one that is 
much appreciated is the Navy MZ-3A. The 
craft is propeller driven by two 160 horse- 
power Lycoming engines that enable it to 
travel at 50 knots with an operational pay- 
load capacity of 2,450 pounds. This manned, 
178-foot, lighter-than-air blimp can remain 
aloft and nearly stationary for more than 12 
hours performing various missions. It is gov- 
ernment owned and contractor operated. The 
contractor, ISSI — Integrated System Solutions 
Inc. — employs highly qualified blimp pilots 
with special awareness training for the Wash- 
ington, D.C., metropolitan area and experi- 
ence operating within its airspace. The recent 
Washington-area mission was scheduled to 
conclude with the return flight to Naval Air 
Station Patuxent River, Maryland. A 


New life for 

lighter-than-air 

systems 


by Norman Mayer 


The Lighter-Than-Air-Systems 
Technical Committee 

stimulates development of 
knowledge related to airships 
and aerostats for use 
in a host of applications 
from transportation 
to surveillance. 


U.S. Navy 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 35 



AIRCRAFT AND ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEMS 


Reducing 
needless 
aviation parts 
replacement 

by Lori Fischer 

The Product Support 
Technical Committee 

advances the quality , 
technology r and excellence 
of post-production aviation 
products and services 
by providing an international , 
industry-wide forum for 
networking and exchanging 
of best practices. 


The remova l/i nsta Nation of an LRU. 



D ue to the aviation industry’s increased 
emphasis on lean practices, new efforts 
were launched in 2014 to address the costs of 
instances of no fault found, in which parts are 
removed from aircraft due to suspected faults, 
but subsequent tests are unable to identify 
anything wrong with them. 

Solutions to NFF problems can be quite 
challenging. 

NFF sometimes results when product test- 
ing on the ground does not accurately replicate 
the temperatures, vibrations or other conditions 
of flight. In other cases, the problem may have 
to do with the electrical harness or other equip- 
ment attaching the part to the aircraft. 

The Product Support Technical Committee 
launched three working groups in 2014 to ad- 
dress the NFF problem. These working groups 
aim to reduce NFF in their collective environ- 
ments using a disciplined, lean methodology 
derived from lessons learned and the standards 
document ARINC Report 672, “Guidelines for 
the Reduction of No Fault Found.” The guide- 
lines offer a structured approach that is suitable 
as a baseline. Interested parties are adapting 
the 672 guidelines to fit their respective en- 
vironments. It is from these activities that the 
ARINC 672 guidelines may be enhanced and 
the creation of NFF related standards such as 
fault reporting will ensue. 

The first of the new working groups, an en- 
gine/supplier group, has finished a compari- 
son of integrated performance requirements 
and test procedures. This review of applicable 
documentation is one of the first steps defined 
in the ARINC 672 guidelines. This working 
group has identified two different line replace- 
able units — parts designed to be easily plucked 
and replaced on an aircraft — which will be the 
focus of their follow-on efforts. 

Meanwhile, an airline/airframe/supplier 
group is focusing on identifying high-volume 
NFF parts for the supplier, that is part of the 
working group, to review using an in-house 
NFF process blended with the committee’s 
methodology. This working group has linked 
its NFF activity into the existing component re- 
liability collaboration forums that get rolled up 
to the supplier/original-equipment-manufac- 
turer executive levels to keep the focus on NFF 
reduction. The group’s efforts were scheduled 
to be showcased at a component reliability col- 
laboration symposium in December. 

Just starting is a third working group 
whose airline/airframe members are famil- 
iarizing themselves with the disciplined/lean 
methodology that the committee is using as 
the template for the working group’s efforts. 



Beyond these working groups, recent NFF 
reduction efforts recognize that NFF does not 
restrict itself only to avionics intermittencies 
on aging aircraft. It can affect line replaceable 
units in any category and at any age in the 
respective lifecycle. 

Significant research and time is being 
invested on a number of NFF fronts via the 
collaborative efforts of universities, technical 
committees and industry. 

The cross-disciplinary complexity of the 
issue and the historic lack of effort within in- 
dustry to address the associated problem have 
hampered progress. The reluctance to share in- 
formation (or proprietary restrictions) and the 
rush to market are also obstacles. Strict product 
support agreements or penalties regarding NFF 
thwart progress in this arena as well. 

The AIAA Product Support Committee 
shares a common goal with the Through-life 
Engineering Services Centre at Cranfield Uni- 
versity in the U.K. to educate and help guide 
the industry toward NFF reduction. 

The stakes for these new efforts were made 
clear during the Air Transport & Operations 
Symposium and International Meeting for Avia- 
tion Product Support Processes at the Delft Uni- 
versity of Technology in the Netherlands. It was 
reported that the NFF percentages for organi- 
zations not pursuing NFF reduction strategies 
were 40 percent for mechanical line replaceable 
units and 60 percent for avionic LRUs. Compa- 
nies aggressively pursuing reduction strategies 
such as ARINC 672, CASH (Conserve All Ser- 
viceable Hardware) and HSM (Holistic Systems 
Maintenance) report having far less NFF per- 
centages than those companies that do not. A 


36 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


U.S. Air Force 


TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


T his year the F-35B expanded its role as the 
training platform for the next generation of 
V/STOL fighter pilots. Aircrew training is ongo- 
ing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and Marine 
Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina. 

As of August, more than 65 percent of the 
F-35B flight test program was completed. The 
U.S. Marine Corps has been introducing the F- 
35B into its training pipeline and will eventu- 
ally field 340 of the aircraft. These scheduled 
deliveries do not reflect planned orders from 
the United Kingdom (138) and Italy (69). In 
July, the United Kingdom launched the new- 
design aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, 
which will operate Royal Navy F-35Bs. 

The Bell Boeing V- 22 Osprey team contin- 
ues to pursue new capabilities for the tilt-rotor 
fleet, including air refueling demonstrations. 
Bell is also marketing the aircraft to foreign 
governments. As of April, the Bell Boeing 
team delivered more than 200 V-22s in both 
production versions. During the summer, V- 
22s conducted highly publicized humanitarian 
and search-and-rescue operations in the Far 
East and Africa. 

The rotorcraft company AgustaWestland 
continues certification and production efforts 
for AW609 civil tilt-rotor. In March and April 
more than 70 autorotations were conducted 
on one of the AW609 prototypes. Two of the 
aircraft are supporting the flight test program. 

The U.S. Marine Corps vertical-lift fleet 
reached a major milestone with the May roll- 
out out of the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion 
heavy-lift helicopter. This new, powerful air- 
craft will replace the CH-53s and CH-53Es, 
both of which are nearing the end of their 
service life. A production-representative 
ground vehicle is being tested at Sikorsky’s 
West Palm Beach, Florida, facilities, and a 
first flight is scheduled for late 2014. 

In late July, the U.S. Army Aviation and 
Missile Research Development and Engineer- 


ing Center down-selected two contestants for 
the Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstra- 
tor program. Two teams, Sikorsky Boeing 
and Bell Helicopter, were selected to build 
flying technology demonstrators by 2017. 
Sikorsky Boeing is offering the SB-1 Defiant, 
a larger version of the X2, an experimental 
compound helicopter with coaxial rotors; and 
Bell is working on a clean-sheet tilt-rotor de- 
sign, the V-280 Valor. Both designs will be 
capable of speeds greater than current Army 
rotorcraft. The long-term goal of the JMR pro- 
gram is to mature the technologies planned to 
be applied to a family of rotorcraft under the 
Future Vertical Lift program. 

It is expected that the other 
two contenders, AVX and Ka- 
rem Aircraft, will continue to 
receive funding for technol- 
ogy risk reduction. 

In March, DARPA com- 
pleted its selection of four 
contenders for its VTOL 
X-Plane. Aurora Flight Sci- 
ences, Boeing, Sikorsky and 
Karem Aircraft were awarded 
Phase 1 preliminary design contracts for the 
development of a VTOL aircraft capable of 
speeds up to 400 knots and gross weights up 
to 12,000 pounds. Boeing has already flown 
a 17 percent-scale unmanned demonstrator. 
Phase 2 of the program will be awarded to 
one of the aforementioned competitors. 

NASA’s unmanned GL-10 Greased Light- 
ning made a tethered flight test in August 
with free-flight tests planned for later in the 
year. The aircraft combines a vertical take- 
off and landing capability with the cruise ef- 
ficiency of a long-endurance airplane. The 
aircraft’s tilt-wing configuration is based on 
lessons learned from the previous concepts 
tested during the project and from VTOL re- 
search aircraft from the 1960s and 1970s. A 


Vertical lift 
reaches new 
heights 

by Erasmo Pinero 

The V/STOL Technical 
Committee is working 
to advance research 
on the vertical take-off 
and landing aircraft 



CH-53K King Stallion. 



U.S. Air Force 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 37 


Sikorsky 


NASA 


ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT 


Preserving 
the past 

by Bill Barry 

The History Technical 
Committee works to 
preserve the record 
of aerospace advances 
and recognize their impacts 
on modern society. 


W hile many despair at the apparent loss of 
historical records covering the first cen- 
tury of flight and space history, a panel of aero- 
space archivists at AIAA’s SciTech 2014 Forum 
went a long way toward dispelling the myths 
and providing guidance to those of us with ma- 
terials that may be historically significant. 

“Aerospace Archives: All is NOT Lost — 
Keepers of the Right Stuff,” chaired by out- 
going History Technical Committee Chair- 
man Cam Martin, featured Debbie Douglas, 
curator of science and technology at the MIT 
Museum; Jane Odom, chief archivist at NASA; 
Dawne Dewey, head of special collections 
and archives at Wright State University; Mari- 
lyn Graskowiak, archivist at the National Air 
and Space Museum; and Elizabeth Borja, ref- 
erence archivist at the National Air and Space 
Museum. The panelists gave particular atten- 
tion to some of the highlights of the archival 
collections held by their organizations, both 
artifacts and documents. They also noted the 
wide variety of repositories around the United 
States that collect aerospace materials and 
their continued interest in acquiring items 
from individuals and organizations. 

Asked what scientists and engineers 
should do with potentially valuable docu- 
ments and artifacts, the panel had two unan- 
imous messages. First, don’t leave these items 
for your children to sort out. If you want to be 
sure your legacy does not wind up in a land- 



The first meeting of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics took place on April 23, 1 91 5. 
NACA will celebrate its 100th anniversary in March. 

38 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


fill, contact an archivist as soon as you start 
thinking about what you might donate. Sec- 
ond, don’t weed out your papers yourself; let 
a trained archivist help you determine what is 
historically significant. 

The claim that Gustave Whitehead flew 
a powered, controlled aircraft more than two 
years before the Wright brothers was discred- 
ited this year by the Historical Group of the 
British Royal Aeronautical Society. In 2012, 
Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft astounded 
many by announcing support for the claim 
that Whitehead flew an airplane in Connecti- 
cut in 1901. In June 2013, Connecticut Gov. 
Dannel Malloy signed into law a bill estab- 
lishing a state Powered Flight Day honor- 
ing Whitehead as the first to fly. This effort 
to rewrite history was roundly dismissed by 
U.S. historians, including Tom Crouch, vice 
chairman of the AIAA History Technical Com- 
mittee and AIAA Fellow. This year, the Royal 
Aeronautical Society added its voice to the 
debate by issuing a formal statement in June. 
Their conclusion: “All available evidence fails 
to support the claim that Gustave Whitehead 
made sustained, powered, controlled flights 
pre-dating those of the Wright Brothers.” 

With the centennial of the creation of the 
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics 
— NACA — coming on March 3, 2013, aero- 
space historians have been preparing events 
to mark the occasion. From 1913 until it be- 
came the institutional basis of NASA in 1958, 
NACA made fundamental contributions to the 
worldwide development of aeronautics, criti- 
cal contributions to victory in World War II 
and security in the Cold War, and laid the 
basis for the Space Age. The first centen- 
nial event will be an invited panel discus- 
sion at SciTech 2015 on Jan. 6. “The NACA 
Centennial: An Assessment” will be chaired 
by Crouch and feature Roger Launius of the 
National Air and Space Museum, Jim Hansen 
of Auburn University, MIT’s Douglas and Bill 
Barry from NASA. A number of other events, 
including a historical symposium at the Na- 
tional Air and Space Museum on March 3-4, 
are on the agenda for 2015. 

The 2014 Gardner-Lasser Aerospace His- 
tory Literature Award went to Bill Clancey 
for his path-breaking work on how the vari- 
ous teams made the Mars rovers a success 
in “Working on Mars: Voyages of Scientific 
Discovery with the Mars Exploration Rovers.” 
The 2014 History Manuscript Award went to 
Lawrence R. Benson for his manuscript on su- 
personic boom research, “Quieting the Boom” 
(now a NASA publication). A 



TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


T he year brought out aggressive litiga- 
tion and a bit of international mischief as 
launch industry giants elbowed and jostled 
each other for advantages. The long-dominant 
United Launch Alliance, a joint venture be- 
tween Boeing and Lockheed Martin, is fend- 
ing off legal attacks from SpaceX, industrial 
base challenges from Russia and the merger 
of two competitors in Orbital Sciences Corp. 
and Alliant Techsy stems, known as ATK. 

SpaceX hied a protest against the U.S. Air 
Force for its decision to award a sole-source 
block-buy contract for 36 launches to ULA. 
While SpaceX argued the deal is wasteful 
for taxpayers, the Air Force disagreed and 
defended its buy as a good deal for the tax- 
payer. The U.S. government asked a federal 
court to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing SpaceX 
lost its right to protest by not challenging the 
solicitation when it was issued in 2012. 

For a short while, SpaceX secured a U.S. 
Court of Federal Claims preliminary injunc- 
tion that blocked ULA and the Air Force from 
purchasing RD-180 engines used in ULA’s 
Atlas 3 rocket. The relatively inexpensive but 
very capable RD-180 is produced by Russian 
company NPO Energomash. That company 
is caught up in contentions that it should be 
sanctioned in response to the growing crisis 
in Ukraine and Russia’s illegal invasion and 
seizure of portions of that nation. It had been 
argued that payments for the engines effec- 
tively benefited Russian Deputy Prime Min- 
ister Dmitry Rogozin, who is subject to U.S. 
economic sanctions under Executive Order 
13661. ULA contends the engine purchases 
should not be subject to sanctions. SpaceX 
was accused of trying to disrupt vital national 
security launches. The U.S. government for- 
mally filed a motion to dismiss the injunction, 
and that motion was granted. 

In April, Orbital Sciences and ATK an- 
nounced merger plans to create a new $3 
billion company to be called Orbital ATK, 
whose offerings will include launch vehicles, 
satellites and defense systems. 

While launch companies moved to enlist 
congressional and bureaucratic support for 
their respective interests, the legal dust-ups 
highlighted an important issue: whether the 
U.S. should stick with ULA, a proven entity that 
has achieved over 100 consecutive launches, 
or move in new directions in an attempt to 
achieve cost savings in an era of declining bud- 
gets. Stirring the pot, Rogozin threatened to no 
longer allow RD-180s to be used for launches 
of U.S. military spacecraft, though he has yet to 
follow up on the threats. In the meantime, the 


Air Force took programmatic steps to reduce 
acquisition risks associated with any lost ac- 
cess to the RD-180s. 

The Air Force verified that SpaceX’s Fal- 
con 9 vl.l rocket completed three flights. The 
completion of three flights is one part of the 
process for SpaceX to achieve certification 
and be eligible to be awarded contracts as 
part of the Evolved Expendable Launch Ve- 
hicle program. 

The Space Data Association signed an 
agreement to participate in the U.S. Defense 
Department’s Space Situational Awareness 
Sharing Program. The SDA press release says 
that it is the DoD’s first such agreement with a 
non-satellite operator. The U.S. Strategic Com- 
mand administers the SSA Sharing Program, 
which is intended to increase the safety, se- 
curity and sustainability of the space domain. 

The satellite industry celebrated moves to 
finalize regulations that remove some satel- 
lite hardware and technologies from the U.S. 
Munitions List, a registry of militarily sensi- 
tive technologies whose exports are tightly 
controlled by the State Department. The new 
rules, which go into effect 180 days after its 
May 7 draft was published, move items from 
the USML to the Commerce Control List and 
ease their export to 36 countries. Exports of 
space-related hardware, technologies, and 
services to China and certain other countries 
remain strictly controlled, however. 

Unmanned aircraft systems continue to 
generate a smorgasbord of legislative and liti- 
gation responses to explosive growth in the 
use of small, affordable flying cameras. Com- 
panies such as Amazon, Google, news and 
entertainment conglomerates, and others have 
announced plans to employ unmanned aircraft 
for a variety of commercial purposes. They 
are putting pressure on the FAA to expedite 
rules that allow continued growth of what is 
estimated to be an $82 billion industry, creat- 
ing 100,000 jobs. Six test sites mandated by 
Congress went operational this year, and the 
first commercial operations were approved for 
Alaska’s North Slope. Two pending enforce- 
ment cases received media coverage after an 
administrative law judge ruled in one of them 
that the FAA did not have regulatory authority 
over small commercial drone operations. Regu- 
lations for small unmanned aircraft are due for 
release via a notice of proposed rule-making in 
December. Three states passed anti-drone bills, 
three were defeated and 12 more states have 
introduced similar legislation, the major con- 
cerns being privacy and fears of covert surveil- 
lance by law enforcement agencies. A 


Rockets, 

unmanned 

planes 

dominate legal 
scene 

by Douglas Marshall 

The Legal Aspects Technical 
Committee fosters 
an understanding of legal 
areas unique to aerospace. 


1 


4 


SpaceX's Falcon 9 vl.l. 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 39 


SpaceX 



NASA Marshall Space Flight Center United Launch Alliance 


ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT 


Managing 
amid growing 
challenges 

by Tom Goudreau 

The Management Technical 
Committee promotes sound 
management practices and 
helps aerospace managers 
understand the issues that 
impact their success. 


The Russian-built RD-180 engine 
is used to power the Atlas 5 
launch vehicle. 



T he aerospace and defense industries have 
been affected by a year of conflict from 
Ukriane to the Middle East and Africa. 

Russia’s actions in Eastern Europe and the 
shootdown of a Malaysia Airlines plane over 
Ukraine have put pressure on established 
space and aerospace collaboration. Caught 
between Western economic sanctions and 
Russian actions in Ukraine is the supply of 
Russian-built RD-180 engines used on Atlas 
5 launch vehicles to loft satellites critical to 
U.S. national security. Even nondefense multi- 
national efforts such as plans for the Interna- 
tional Space Station have become less certain 
as a result of the increased global tensions. 

Neither expanding global conflicts nor 
the decision to strike ISIS in Iraq and Syria 
seems to have affected the certainty of U.S. 
defense budget cuts. With Budget Control 
Act spending caps in place, the debate ap- 
pears to have shifted from “how 
much should be spent on defense” 
to “what should be bought with the 
limited defense dollars we have.” 
While some major procurement 
programs could be simply “pushed 
to the right,” deferring new Defense 
Department equipment deliveries 
will not be enough. Hard choices 
such as whether equipment like the 
A- 10 close air support aircraft are 
retired and how many military and 
civilian positions will be eliminated 
continue to be debated. 

The decline in defense spend- 
ing is challenging the industry to 
find new sources of revenue. These 
potentially include next-generation 
intelligence, surveillance, reconnais- 
sance and precision strike technolo- 
gies, cybersecurity, new commercial 
ventures, and also acquisitions of 
synergistic businesses. 



A 3-D printed rocket injector (left) as 
the injector part after inspection and 

40 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


it looked immediately after it was removed from the laser melting printer. On the right, 
polishing. 


Meanwhile the commercial aerospace 

sector is setting records for production of air- 
craft due to the accelerated replacement cycle 
of obsolete aircraft. Passenger travel demand 
continues to grow, especially in the Middle 
East and the Asia Pacific regions. Fuel costs 
for commercial airliners are driving research 
into next-generation fuel-efficient aircraft. 

Aerospace companies are implementing a 
range of affordability initiatives for both de- 
fense and commercial customers. Aerospace 
companies have used 3-D printing/additive 
manufacturing since the 1990s, beginning as 
stereo lithography. Parts made this way have 
been enabling rapid prototyping, compress- 
ing the design cycle. Current research is fo- 
cused on applying the process to difficult- 
to-produce, high-performance components 
consistently and repeatedly. 

Today’s 3-D printing machines are more ca- 
pable and affordable than they were 20 years 
ago. Some 3-D printers can now produce metal 
alloy parts made of titanium and nickel. Air- 
craft engine part manufacturers, for example, 
are working to leverage 3-D printing to replace 
traditional cast and forged parts production pro- 
cesses where it makes sense. Cost, time and ma- 
terial properties will determine what parts are 
forged, cast or produced with 3-D printing tools. 

Standing between the industries willing- 
ness to be innovative and agile and U.S. gov- 
ernment customers’ desire to control costs and 
avoid delays is the acquisition system. An im- 
proved acquisition process has not emerged, 
but not for a lack of trying. Despite the 2009 
Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act and 
the Pentagon’s two-plus versions of Better 
Buying Power policy mandates, progress has 
been slow. Congress is expected to take up 
the issue again in early 2013. 

Compounding the acquisition reform 
challenge discussed at AIAA’s 2014 Aero- 
space Today & Tomorrow conference is that 
the problem is one of both 
process and culture. Chang- 
ing government and industry 
cultures takes time. Getting 
incentives right is one op- 
portunity; confronting and 
challenging risk aversion is 
another. 

The House Armed Ser- 
vices Committee study under- 
way could result in provisions 
being passed as part of an 
upcoming authorization bill. 
The stakes for the aerospace 
industry are significant. A 



22-26 JUNE 2015 

fishing thliXidjhies of the Irmfl 
p aging the Aviation Ecosystem 

The global aviation ecosystem is broad, constantly 
evolving, and a driver of economic growth. AIAA 
AVIATION 2015 will celebrate its diversity by engaging 
participants throughout the value chain — legislation, 
regulation, research, design, manufacturing, suppliers, 
and users— to explore these topics: 

• Globalization: Working in an 


International Landscape 
Voice of the Customer: Designing the 
Right Aircraft 
Operations: From NextGen Implementation to 
UAS Integration 

Policy: Promoting a Healthy Global Economy 


Bill Ayer 

Chair of the NextGen 


Advisory Committee 


Edward L. Bolton Jr. 

Assistant Administrator for 



• Cybersecurity: Getting Ahead of the Threat 


Technology: Driving the Future 






INFORMATION SYSTEMS 


Continued 
growth for 
satcom 

by Thomas C. Butash 

The Communications 
Systems Technical 
Committee is working 
to advance communications 
systems research 
and applications. 


Space Systems/Loral was selected 
in June to build Hispasat IF, 
a multimission communications 
satellite for the Hispasat Group. 


T he commercial communications satel- 
lite industry was on track for continued 
growth this year, with companies focused on 
innovative systems with greater effective ca- 
pacity and lower on-orbit costs. Investments 
increased in flexible payloads capable of allo- 
cating bandwidth and power across multiple 
beams in response to dynamic service de- 
mands. There is also growing interest in all- 
electric and hybrid propulsion systems that 
will lower launch costs. 

Through August, 18 geosynchronous com- 
munications satellite contracts were awarded: 
six to Space Systems/Loral, five to Thales Ale- 
nia Space, three (including two with all-elec- 
tric propulsion) to Airbus Defence & Space, 
two to Dauria Aerospace and one each to Or- 
bital Sciences and Boeing. This pace suggests 
27 satellite awards by year’s end, indicating 
continued expansion over the 25 awards in 
2013 and 16 in 2012. A mid-year Satellite In- 
dustry Association report confirmed industry 
expansion outpacing global economic growth. 

Interest in high- 
throughput satellites to 
provide broadband ser- 
vice increased, with Euro- 
consult predicting growth 
through 2014 and beyond. 

Several HTS contracts 
were awarded — Intelsat 
35e, SES-12, Eutelsat 172B 
and HYLAS 4 — while 
other satellite broadband 
access systems also expanded. 

03b became a global broadband access 
service provider with the July launch of its 
second flight of four satellites. The most in- 
triguing entrant into the market came with 
Google’s backing of WorldVu Satellites, 
which acquired Ku-band spectrum originally 
allocated to SkyBridge, to launch a Teledesic- 
like low-Earth-orbit constellation of 360 satel- 
lites for global Internet service. 

The year opened with Lockheed Martin 
Space Systems’ announcement of plans to 
re-enter the commercial satellite communica- 
tions market, followed by Orbital Sciences’ 
and ATK’s second quarter announcement of 
their planned merger as Orbital ATK. 

Industry expansion continued with Indo- 
nesian bank BRI’s selection of SSL to build 
BRIsat to provide dedicated satellite com- 
munications for its 9,800 branches, 100,000 
electronic channel outlets and 50 million 
customers. BRI thus becomes the first bank 
to procure a dedicated satellite for its net- 
work operations. 


SpaceX continued to be a disruptive force 
in launch services. With 11 Falcon 9 launches 
through August and the most affordable ride 
for five metric tons to geosynchronous transfer 
orbit, SpaceX reinvigorated competition. Eu- 
telsat and SES pressured the European launch 
industry to match SpaceX’s prices. SpaceX 
challenged United Launch Alliance’s long- 
running duopoly on U.S. government satellite 
launches and received certification to compete 
in the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle 
program. ULA, International Launch Services 
and ISS Reshetnev are considering dual-launch 
services to remain competitive, while Ariane- 
space is tuning its dual-launch model. Interest 
in all-electric or hybrid propulsion satellites, 
facilitating either Falcon 9 or dual launches, 
heightened with the Eutelsat 172B, SES- 10 and 
SES-12 awards and investments by Airbus De- 
fence & Space, SES and Thales Alenia Space in 
all-electric systems. 

Flexible satellites, capable of allocating 
bandwidth and power in response to chang- 
ing demands, although 
not entirely new, saw a 
renaissance in capturing 
almost 30 percent of the 
awards through August. 
Intelsat 35e EpicNG and 
SES-12, in particular, will 
employ digital onboard 
processing to maximize 
bandwidth distribution 
flexibility. 

Alphasat’s Aldo Paraboni Q/V band 
payload experiment will pave the way for 
increased HTS capacity. And Inmarsat, in 
response to the disappearance of the Malay- 
sia Airlines plane, offered free communica- 
tions for worldwide aircraft tracking over its 
global satellite network, thus facilitating a 
“black-box in the cloud” system for prevent- 
ing future tragedies like the loss of flight 
MH370. 

The U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Sys- 
tems Center and its contractors completed 
Protected Tactical Service Design for Af- 
fordability studies, paving the way for 2015 
flight demonstrations and next-generation 
military satellite communications architec- 
ture definition. SMC’s Hosted Payload Solu- 
tions awards facilitate simplified contracting 
for such cost-saving arrangements. 

Long-awaited U.S. export control reform 
became a reality as most satellites were re- 
moved from the State Department’s U.S. Mu- 
nitions List and transferred to the Commerce 
Control List. A 



SSL 


42 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 



TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


C omputing in aerospace operates over a 
spectrum of friendly and extreme envi- 
ronments, where “friendly” is a matter of hu- 
man perception. Reliability in extreme envi- 
ronments and affordability often seem to be 
mortal enemies clashing on a battleground of 
engineering designs. But that may be chang- 
ing as new technologies and strategies gain 
ground. 

An autonomous unmanned aircraft or 
spacecraft — or a smartphone — contains an 
embedded system with a system-on-a-chip, 
or SoC, which is in turn composed of multiple 
cores, often of identical computer central pro- 
cessing units, or CPUs. But sometimes a core 
may be a general-purpose graphics process- 
ing unit, known as a GPGPU, that facilitates 
fast 3-D calculations. Or it may be a DSP to 
facilitate digital signal processing. Or it may 
be a serial I/O protocol processor to handle a 
data stream or to support encryption. 

The variety of cores that can fit into an 
SoC has led to a cascade of terrestrial applica- 
tions: smartphones, smartwatches, the Inter- 
net of Things. As in aerospace, these often 
mobile devices are sensitive to size, weight 
and power issues, and perhaps insensitive to 
shock, lack of convection, etc. For low-Earth 
orbit, the gap between terrestrial and space- 
borne devices is closing. For deep space, a 
new generation of processors is arising. 

One strategy for reducing cost is redundant 
use of commercial off-the-self parts. Sometimes 
this means many of the same part in a vehicle; 
sometimes it means many vehicles. 

Start-up company Planet Labs has de- 
veloped the Dove spacecraft, a 3U CubeSat 
(30x10x10 centimeters) built from non-space, 
commercial off-the-shelf COTS components. 
Flock 1, comprised of 28 Doves, was launched 
to the International Space Station in January 
and deployed into orbit weeks later. In fact, 
the San Francisco company has launched 71 
Doves since its founding in a garage in April 


The cockpit of the Dragon v2 has movable touch-panel displays. 



SpaceX 


2012. The use of COTS parts has allowed the 
company to design and fly many iterations 
of the spacecraft design, with each iteration 
lasting a few months. A similar strategy has 
been employed with the PhoneSat nanosatel- 
lites developed at NASA’s Ames Research Cen- 
ter; and with TechEdSat, jointly developed by 
NASA Ames and San Jose State University. 

Multicore SoCs are making their way into 
deep space missions as well. In the last sev- 
eral years, NASA and the Defense Depart- 
ment have found that marked improvements 
in technology can be brought into radiation- 
hardened processor design. The Air Force 
Next Generation Space Processor Program 
aims for advanced multicore rad-hard pro- 
cessors for use in the 
2020-2030 time frame. 

Meanwhile, a new 
generation of multi- 
core space proces- 
sors is now becom- 
ing available. BAE 
Systems is develop- 
ing a new genera- 
tion of radiation-hard 
Power/PowerPC pro- 
cessors. Derived from 
the Freescale QorlQ 
Power Architecture, 
the RAD5545 is a 
multicore SoC using 
43 nanometer silicon-on-insulator technol- 
ogy of the IBM Trusted Foundry. It is the first 
member of the RAD 3 3 00 series, which follows 
in the footsteps of the RAD6000 and RAD750 
processors that are prevalent on deep space 
missions. The RAD5545 is expected to pro- 
vide a tenfold performance increase over 
the RAD750. By nature, DSP is a multicore 
problem on multiple levels. The BAE Systems 
RadSpeed DSP employs two cores of 76 pro- 
cessing elements each, thus doing over 150 
computations in parallel. 

Computing technology is becoming keenly 
apparent in the new generation of human 
commercial spaceflight vehicles being readied 
for flight tests. Both the SpaceX Dragon v2 
and Boeing CST-100 crew vehicles employ 
large movable flat-screen touch-panel dis- 
plays, which replace a large number of dis- 
crete cockpit instruments of earlier crewed 
spacecraft. While “glass cockpits” and “fly-by- 
wire” are no strangers to the aviation realm, 
computing in upcoming crewed space vehi- 
cles marries highly reliable embedded control- 
critical computing with more complex, often 
error-prone, human interaction interfaces. A 


Computing 
for reliability, 
affordability 

by Rick Kwan 

The Computer Systems 
Technical Committee 

works on advancing 

the application of computing 

to aerospace programs. 


Planet Labs 



A flock of Dove satellites was 
launched to the International 
Space Station in January and 
deployed weeks later. 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 43 



NASA 


INFORMATION SYSTEMS 




I n the FAA Modernization and Reform Act 
of 2012, Congress tasked the FAA with en- 
abling routine access for civil unmanned air- 
craft to the National Airspace System by 2015. 
One of the key technology gaps in realizing 
this vision is the lack of certification standards 
and equipment for a command-and-control 
data link. 

The World Radio Conference 2012 pro- 
vided two allocations of protected aviation- 
safety spectrum for terrestrial transmitters 
for this purpose, one in L band and one in 
C band. In July 2013, the RTCA, founded in 
1935 as the Radio Technical Commission for 
Aeronautics and now an advisory committee 
to the FAA, established Special 
Committee 228 — Minimum Oper- 
ating Performance Standards for 
Unmanned Aircraft Systems — to 
create key standards leading to avi- 
onics Technical Standards Orders 
for key enabling technologies, in- 
cluding a command and non-pay- 
load communication, or CNPC, 
data link. 

NASA Glenn Research Center 
and Rockwell Collins have come together in 
a jointly funded cooperative agreement to 
develop and test a prototype system in the 
newly allocated spectrum to support valida- 
tion and verification of the RTCA performance 
standards. This effort is a five-year program, 
with five deliverable prototype spirals that 
provide incremental development and testing 
of a new, certifiable waveform for civil un- 
manned aircraft. The third spiral development 
was delivered to NASA in July for testing later 
in the year. 

In developing this prototype CNPC system, 
NASA and Rockwell Collins did a broad assess- 
ment of existing communication waveforms to 
see if any current solutions could be adapted 
for use. For the upper layers of the communi- 
cation protocol stack, it was determined that 
IEEE 802.16 (WiMax) 
could provide an 
appropriate basis. 
For the lower lay- 
ers (specifically in- 
cluding the physical 
layer for over-the-air 
transmission) it was 
determined that a 
new waveform was 
needed. 

Rockwell Col- 
lins took seed re- 
quirements from 


Creating 
unmanned 
data links 

by Denise Ponchak 
and John R. Moore 

The Digital Avionics 
Technical Committee 

advances the development 
and application 
of communications , 
navigation and surveillance 
systems used by military 
and commercial aircraft. 


Using a NASA S-3 Viking, experts 
from Rockwell Collins and NASA 
tested a communication system 
that will enable unmanned 
craft to safely operate in the 
national airspace. 


The prototype command and 
non-payload communication system 
in its test rack in the rear section 
of an S-3 Viking. 


earlier RTCA Special Committees and con- 
ducted a trade study on technology candidates 
against a set of objective evaluation criteria. 
The trade study recommended a communi- 
cation architecture that became the basis for 
the prototype system. This included support 
for point-to-point communications (as with 
most unmanned aircraft today) and also with 
a capability for orderly integration of local, re- 
gional or, perhaps someday, even a national 
network infrastructure. 

Key attributes of the system include: avail- 
ability, integrity and continuity of function ap- 
propriate for the intended safety of life ap- 
plication; capacity/scalability to support the 
large number of unmanned aircraft that are 
anticipated to develop in the next several de- 
cades; and reduced complexity to lower ac- 
quisition and life cycle costs. 

Because many unmanned aircraft are 
smaller than their manned counterparts, there 
are several unique challenges to be addressed 
including: size, weight and power consistent 
with smaller airframes; cost proportional to 
the overall aircraft system; and certification 
risk controlled by looking to determinism and 
predictability in operation wherever possible. 

NASA and Rockwell Collins began flight 
testing the prototype system in spring of 2013, 
incrementally adding and validating new ca- 
pabilities. The three spirals delivered to this 
point demonstrate: 1) basic L band operation, 
one aircraft, one ground tower; 2) basic C 
band operation with improved Doppler per- 
formance, tower-to-tower handoffs, internal 
channel estimation metrics for multipath; and 
3) automatic unmanned aircraft discovery and 
network ingress, multiple aircraft and multiple 
tower simultaneous operation, master/slave 
operation in ground towers. 

Testing to date has involved manned air- 
craft carrying CNPC radios as payloads. In 
June, a NASA S-3 Viking and a University 
of Iowa Operator Performance Laboratory 
Beechcraft Bonanza were used as surrogates 
for unmanned aircraft during tests at Eastern 
Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The air- 
craft tested the ability of unmanned aircraft 
to hand off communications from one tower 
to another and the ability of a single tower to 
communicate to multiple aircraft. 

Future testing phases will integrate a 
ground control station with CNPC radios to fly 
unmanned aircraft through their automatic 
flight controls. This will come first in option- 
ally piloted surrogate aircraft, and eventually 
on an unmanned aircraft as the primary com- 
mand-and-control link. A 


44 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


NASA 


TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


R obonaut2 completed its fixed-base activi- 
ties onboard the International Space Sta- 
tion and received its climbing legs in August 
2014. R2’s torso finished stanchion activities by 
manipulating space blanket materials, demon- 
strating increasingly difficult hand movements, 
and performing tasks under teleoperation 
control by astronauts wearing motion capture 
equipment and virtual-reality visors. Advanced 
tactics included grabbing a tumbling roll of 
tape in microgravity and manipulation of teth- 
ers, connection hoses and clamps. 

In the domain of cyberphysical systems, 
aircraft including the unmanned variety utilize 
off-vehicle network connections for command 
and control, sharing sensor data and coordi- 
nating missions. Such connectivity can expose 
software vulnerabilities exploitable by cyber- 
attackers. Experts working under DARPA’s 
High-Assurance Cyber Military Systems pro- 
gram, or HACMS, including Rockwell Collins, 
Boeing, the National Information Communi- 
cations Technology Australia Center, Galois 
and the University of Minnesota, are building 
software to be provably secure against many 
classes of cyber attacks based on a high-as- 
surance autopilot software stack with system 
architecture models for formal analysis. Ac- 
cording to DARPA Program Manager Kathleen 
Fisher in January, DARPA’s Red Team was un- 
able to hack the team’s research quadcopter 
given six weeks and full access. Research is 
transitioning to Boeing’s Unmanned Little 
Bird helicopter. 

To encourage earlier and broader adop- 
tion of formal methods within system devel- 
opment, the Centre of Informatics at Brazil’s 
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco in 
Recife released NAT2TEST, an application 
that automatically generates test cases from 
natural language requirements. NAT2TEST 
analyzes the requirements’ syntax based on 
a controlled, fixed grammar natural language; 
uses thematic roles to form the initial interpre- 
tation; and derives an abstract formal model 
from which alternative formal notations and 
test cases are generated. NAT2TEST was com- 
pared against random and specialist-written 
test cases and outperformed both of them 
when demonstrated on an Embraer aircraft’s 
priority command controller and a Mercedes 
automotive turn indicator system. 

To improve unmanned combat aerial 
vehicle operations, the University of Cincin- 
nati’s Morphing and Optimization Systems 
Technology for Aerospace Laboratory and 
the Air Force Research Lab Control Science 
Center of Excellence created the Learning 


Enhanced Tactical Handling Algorithm. LE- 
THA utilizes multiple intelligently designed 
fuzzy systems to hierarchically break down 
the control of the aircraft and allow for the 
learning capabilities of genetic fuzzy systems 
to be applied to problems with larger com- 
plexity and scale. Set for release by Psiber- 
netix Inc., LETHA increases the efficiency, 
scalability and transparency of uninhabited 
operations by integrating self-defense mis- 
siles, laser weapon systems, mission plan- 
ning, communications and responses to off- 
nominal conditions. 

In the field of big data and domain-spe- 
cific machine learning techniques applied to 
aircraft turbulence, research- 
ers are re-envisioning models 
of turbulent fluid flow with 
previously unavailable accu- 
racy. Funded through NASA’s 
LEARN research support proj- 
ect for educators, researchers 
from the University of Michi- 
gan, Stanford University, 

Iowa State and Pivotal Inc. 
are utilizing large-scale data- 
driven simulation techniques 
to enable the construction 
of more accurate turbulence 
models infused with knowl- 
edge directly derived from 
large amounts of data from 
higher-fidelity simulations 
and experiments. This team 
is rethinking the way that 
turbulence models are cre- 
ated and embedded into flow 
solvers by generating an on- 
line database of curated test 
cases open to the modeling 
community. 

Working within the domain of flight 
safety, piloted simulations by NASA Glenn 
researchers demonstrated a new software 
algorithm called the Model-Predictive Auto- 
matic Recovery System. This software pro- 
tects aircraft on the verge of a loss-of-control 
accident, especially during an unstabilized 
approach. The on-board model continuously 
predicts if the aircraft is able to perform a 
go-around from its current flight condition 
without dropping below a specified altitude, 
taking over control only when it determines 
that any delay to initiate a go-around could 
result in an accident. The system prevents 
dangerous situations, such as approaching 
too low and too slow, like the Asiana flight 
214 into San Francisco in July 2013. A 


Applying 
computation 
for security, 
efficiency 

by Kristen Rozier 

The Intelligent Systems 
Technical Committee works 
to advance the application 
of computational problem 
solving technologies and 
methods to aerospace systems. 



NASA 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 45 



INFORMATION SYSTEMS 


Smaller, 
smarter sensor, 
fusion systems 

by Timothy L. Howard, 
Domenico Accardo 
and Wei-Jen Su 

The Sensor Systems 
and Information Fusion 
Technical Committee 

advances technology 
for sensing phenomena 
and combining the resulting 
data for display to users . 


S wiss company SenseFly has introduced 
eBee, a portable, lightweight drone that 
collects imagery with a 1 6-megapixel camera 
for aerial mapping. With a wingspan of less 
than 1 meter and takeoff weight under 1 kilo- 
gram, it can cover up to 12 square kilometers 
in a single flight, with post-processing soft- 
ware that generates maps down to 3-centime- 
ter precision at the ground. 

A derivative product introduced in April, 
the eBee Ag, is intended for precision agri- 
culture and offers four choices of imaging 
sensors: standard red-green-blue, near-infra- 
red, red-edge and multispectral. The electri- 
cally powered eBee’s airframe is made with 
flexible foam. The vehicle is hand launched 
and can perform a safe linear landing on its 
belly. The system is the outcome of research 


■p 

CD 

"O 

~o 

O 


< 


C/3 


< 


CD 

"ro 


_j 

Q_ 



0C0-2 records bar code-like 
spectra of molecular oxygen 
and carbon dioxide in Earth's 
atmosphere. 



by Professor Jean-Cristophe Zeuffrey from 
Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, 
whose studies have focused on developing 
bio-inspired technologies to be used for ro- 
botic applications, such as a collision-avoid- 
ance approach based on optical flow that is 
derived from behavioral studies on bees. 



mirror anastigmat, a 
popular all-reflective 
optical design that un- 
til now has only been 
used in much larger 
instruments. The new 


version was adapted 
from a larger prede- 
cessor by using im- 
proved diamond-point 


This CubeSat three-mirror telescope 
will feed a hyperspectra I sensor 
for future missions. 


The European Space Agency is devel- 
oping a miniature hyperspectral sensor 

suitable for use in CubeSats. The system 
is based on a three- 


turning technology to manufacture the mir- 
rors. It will provide a 30-degree field of view 
in up to hundreds of narrow spectral bands 
while fitting within the standard 10-centi- 
meter CubeSat format. A prototype optical 
telescope has been built by Dutch company 
VDL ETG under contract to ESA and will be 
coupled with off-the-shelf electronics and 
advanced data-compression software. 

Israel Aerospace Industries has introduced 
an integrated sensor intelligence system that 
allows unmanned aircraft to build up a de- 
tailed picture of their surroundings. It iden- 
tifies and tracks the sources of signals from 
multiple types of emitters and combines them 
into a database known as an “electronic or- 
der-of-battle picture.” Previously this capa- 
bility was only available using much larger 
platforms because of the large antennas re- 
quired. The new system will fit on unmanned 
aircraft such as IAI’s Heron 1, which is used 
by a number of air forces worldwide. It can 
also be hosted on ship-based or ground un- 
manned platforms. 

Researchers at MIT and Hebrew Univer- 
sity of Jerusalem developed a processing 
technique to produce high-resolution tera- 
hertz images by exploiting signals from imag- 
ing sensors that have many fewer elements 
in the array than those needed using tradi- 
tional processing techniques. This provides a 
significant reduction in the required antenna 
size while maintaining performance and will 
allow new systems such as “personal radar” 
to be feasible at low cost. It will also enable 
the use of millimeter-wave imaging applica- 
tions for compact platforms such as mini and 
micro unmanned vehicles. This result can 
be exploited in several applications, such as 
surveillance, visual navigation and sense-and- 
avoid systems. 

NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 

achieved its final orbit and began returning 
science data in August. The spacecraft has a 
three-spectrometer optical instrument that will 
provide the most detailed look yet at sources 
and sinks of carbon dioxide on Earth. The 
spectrometers operate in the near-infrared re- 
gion of the spectrum and are fed by a com- 
mon telescope. Each one produces 9,000 
frames of data per orbit, with each frame con- 
taining data from eight spectral bands. The 
footprint of each measurement is about 1 
square mile on the ground. In addition to car- 
bon dioxide the instrument will also measure 
molecular oxygen, which will aid in correct- 
ing for the effects of clouds, aerosols and sur- 
face topography. A 


46 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


ESA 



TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 



Lockheed Martin 


O pen source systems and cybersecurity 
issues dominated aerospace software 
developments in 2014. 

The Government Accountability Office is- 
sued a report in 2013 on the relative use of 
open source systems for unmanned aircraft. 
Open source systems include modular de- 
sign, allowing software components to be 
more easily replaced. The GAO reported that 
the U.S. Navy led the other services in the use 
of open source systems; Army and Air Force 
unmanned systems had cost overruns and 
upgrade difficulties attributed to their slower 
adoption of open source systems. In particu- 
lar, the GAO noted that arguments against the 
early development of open source systems 
turned out to be inaccurate. In particular, no 
cost savings were found by purchasing com- 
mercial off-the-shelf software or using initial 
prototypes of software systems for the Army 
and Air Force unmanned systems that the 
GAO examined. In response to the report, 
which included recommendations for improv- 
ing implementation of open source systems in 
DoD, the House mandated that GAO provide 
a briefing on private industry best practices 
for developing an open source approach. In 
the briefing, released in June, the GAO said 
its open source recommendations were sup- 
ported by data from the oil and gas indus- 
try, a satellite voice and data company, and a 
private unmanned aircraft software manufac- 
turer. The GAO’s conclusion in this year’s re- 
port was that DoD still had not implemented 
the 2013 recommendations. 

Boeing and the FAA began working to- 
gether to prevent cyberattacks on the Boe- 
ing 777. In November 2013, the FAA issued 
special conditions designed to ensure that the 
in-flight entertainment system could not be 
used to compromise aircraft control systems. 


Earlier FAA regulations and guidance had not 
anticipated interconnected system network ar- 
chitectures. In June, the FAA ordered Boeing 
to make similar changes to the Boeing 737 
model. Changes are also being made to the 
747 and 787 models. 

The AIAA Aerospace Cybersecurity Work- 
ing Group, led by the Software Technical 
Committee, arranged the “Cybersecurity in 
Space Systems Panel Session at SciTech 2014. 

Both setbacks and successes in aerospace 
systems were attributed primarily to software. 
In March testimony on the F-35 Joint Strike 
Fighter, the GAO told the House of Represen- 
tatives that software development and test- 
ing delays would cause additional program 
delays — up to 13 months — and cost over- 
runs . Also in March, the general in charge of 
the F-35 program predicted delays of four to 
six months. 

In May, a software glitch in the En Route 
Automation Modernization air traffic control 
software led to over 200 canceled or diverted 
flights. The ERAM software was attempting 
to keep a U-2 spy plane from colliding with 
commercial aircraft, even though the U-2 was 
at 60,000 feet — nearly four miles above most 
passenger jet traffic. 

On a positive note, NASA’s Lunar Atmo- 
sphere and Dust Environment Explorer mis- 
sion was completed in April with its planned 
lunar impact. LADEE was built using a mod- 
ular common bus architecture for both the 
hardware and software, and leveraged the re- 
use of the open source Core Flight Executive 
and Core Flight Software systems developed 
by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. 

The LADEE program has been noted for 
its drastically lowered development costs; 
the mission was accomplished on time and 
on budget. A 


Open source, , 
cybersecurity 
top software 
issues 

by Misty Davies 
and Sam Adhikari 

The Software Technical 
Committee focuses 
on software engineering 
issues for complex 
and critical systems , including 
requirements , design , code , 
test , evaluation , operation 
and maintenance. 


NASA Wallops 



AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 47 



PROGRAM COMMITTEES 


Progress made 
on cleaner, 
more efficient 
flight 

by Keiichi Okai 
and Gary Dale 

The Green Engineering 
Program Committee 

promotes a holistic , systems 
approach to improved energy 
efficiency ; sustainability ; 
renewable energy and design. 


The Boeing Phantom Eye unmanned 
hydrogen-fueled plane. 



Boeing 


S ignificant advances in electric aircraft tech- 
nology were achieved this year. Airbus flew 
its E-Fan electric demonstrator and announced 
the formation of a new Airbus Group subsid- 
iary, VoltAir, to build two- and four-passenger 
versions and to study a regional-sized airliner. 

JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration 
Agency, is performing manned flight demon- 
stration tests using a Diamond HK36TTC-ECO 
motor glider with a 60-kilowatt, JAXA-devel- 
oped electric-powered propulsion system 
through its Flight demonstration of Electric 
Aircraft Technology for Harmonized Ecologi- 
cal Revolution, or FEATHER, project. 

The CAFE Foundation personal aircraft or- 
ganization held its annual conference with a 
large audience of electric aircraft enthusiasts, 
especially for small electric vehicles. 

The Large Electric Aircraft Propul- 
sion Technology workshop attracted 
nearly 30 participants from the De- 
fense Department, NASA, industry and 
academia to discuss views on electric- 
based propulsion for future large air- 
craft, identify common technical chal- 
lenges, and examine near-term plans 
and collaborative opportunities. 

The NASA-sponsored Boeing Sub- 
sonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research 
team completed an update of its 
SUGAR Volt hybrid electric airliner 
concept and identified technology options for 
the 2030 to 2030 timeframe. 

Biofuels and their adoption for aviation 
continued to make important strides around 
the world, including certification of alterna- 
tive production pathways for biofuels. In Ja- 
pan, progress was made establishing a sup- 
ply chain for next-generation aviation fuels by 
2020. The University of Tokyo, Boeing, Japan 
Airlines, Nippon Cargo Airlines, Narita Inter- 
national Airport and Japan Petroleum Explo- 
ration formed a group called the Initiatives for 
Next Generation Aviation Fuels. Brazil’s GOL 
Airlines, with Boeing, launched commercial 
flights using a newly approved sustainable 
aviation biofuel made from sugar cane. Col- 
laborating with Amyris, they conducted flights 
from Orlando, Florida, to Sao Paulo. 

Other fuel alternatives are also being de- 
veloped. The Boeing Phantom Eye, a cryo- 
genic hydrogen-fueled unmanned plane, flew 
tests at Edwards Air Force Base, reaching 
altitudes greater than 43,000 feet and flying 
for more than five hours. A future version is 
planned to stay aloft up to 10 days. 

The Air Force Research Lab completed ini- 
tial studies with Boeing and Lockheed Martin 


on liquified natural gas as an alternative fuel. 
Lockheed studied a dual-fuel C-130 with LNG 
in two external fuel tanks. Boeing studied a 
dual-fuel KC-10 with LNG tanks in the cargo 
bay. The studies showed large cost savings 
with the current fleet and huge cost savings if 
future mobility systems are included. 

NASA, the German Aerospace Center 
DLR, and the National Research Council of 
Canada began a flight test campaign in May 
to study emissions and contrail formation 
from new blends of aviation fuels that include 
biofuel from renewable sources. The cam- 
paign, called ACCESS 2 for Alternative Fuel 
Effects on Contrails and Cruise Emissions II, 
builds on a first series of ACCESS flights in 
2013. Flying as high as 40,000 feet, the four 
CFM56 engines on NASA’s DC-8 burned fuel 
blends — either traditional Jet A or a 50-50 
blend of Jet A and renewable alternative fuel 
of hydro processed esters and fatty acids pro- 
duced from camelina plant oil — while DLR’s 
Falcon 20-E5, NRC’s CT-133 and NASA’s HU- 
25C measured emissions and observed con- 
trail formation. Preliminary results confirmed 
that the biofuel blends tested substantially re- 
duce emissions of black carbon, sulfates and 
organics, and new data was gathered to aid in 
developing theories about contrail formation. 

The U.S. Air Force’s Surfing Aircraft Vorti- 
ces for Energy project, known as $AVE, was 
elevated to an Advanced Technology Demon- 
stration initiative this year after encouraging 
test results in 2013. Two C-17s flew in for- 
mation between California and Hawaii and 
demonstrated a 10 percent fuel burn reduc- 
tion by the trailing aircraft. The $AVE ATD 
will address software improvements, pilot 
training and extension of the technology to 
other aircraft. AFRL also funded a study with 
Lockheed Martin to examine formation flight 
for C-130s and C-5s. Simulations showed fuel 
savings ranging from 5 to 14 percent and 
identified communications and sensor modifi- 
cations needed for automatic formation flight. 

A NASA-funded Boeing team tested a half- 
span model of a fuel-saving truss-braced wing 
airliner configuration in a wind tunnel at the 
Langley Research Center, demonstrating high 
efficiency with a high span flexible wing. 

The Boeing 787 ecoDemonstrator air- 
plane took to the skies for flight testing, 
carrying 30 technologies aimed at improv- 
ing operational efficiency, reducing fuel use 
and quieter operation. Onboard monitoring 
equipment took samples of the atmosphere 
and analyzed for carbon dioxide content and 
other greenhouse gases. A 


48 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


PROGRAM COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


T o achieve more within constrained bud- 
gets, countries, organizations and compa- 
nies interested in hypersonic capabilities are 
starting to coordinate their global research 
efforts. The past year was marked by large 
programs being announced, concluded and 
executed, as well as more focused efforts, 
concentrating on specific aspects of hyper- 
sonic flight. 

Boeing wrapped up its unmanned X-51 
program after its demonstration of powered 
Mach 5+ flight in May 2013. Lockheed Mar- 
tin will continue work on its Hypersonic Test 
Vehicle-2 remediation program through 2013 
under the Defense Advanced Research Proj- 
ects Agency. 

In January, China demonstrated its hy- 
personic glide vehicle at Mach 1 0 after scaled 
ground tests in its hypersonic shock tunnel, 
which is larger than any other of its kind in 
the world. Also, China’s Chengdu Aircraft 
Corp. is leading the development of a hyper- 
sonic scramjet engine test platform similar to 
NASA’s X-43A. 

Other future demonstration programs in- 
clude: 

• The Advanced Hypersonic Weapon 

tests by the U.S. Defense and Energy depart- 
ments under the Conventional Prompt Global 
Strike program. The most recent test was 
aborted shortly after launch on Aug. 23. 

• HIFiRE 6, a partnership among the U.S. 
Air Force Research Laboratory, Boeing, GoHy- 
personic, the Australian Defence Science and 
Technology Organisation and White Sands 
Missile Range. The program will evaluate the 
functionality and performance of an adaptive 
control law for unstable, unpowered Mach 6+ 
flight with tests through 2016. 

• Continued testing of the Indian Brah- 
Mos platform and Russian RS-26 and S-500 
programs. 

In addition to defense-oriented programs, 
DARPA has begun the first phase of its Experi- 
mental Spaceplane program, known as XS-1, 
and awarded prime contracts for Phase 1 to 
Boeing (working with Blue Origin), Masten 
Space Systems (working with XCOR Aero- 
space) and Northrop Grumman (working with 
Virgin Galactic). The XS-1 program aims to 
develop a fully reusable unmanned vehicle 
to provide aircraft-like access to space and 
deploy small satellites to orbit using expend- 
able upper stages. Along these same lines, the 
British government and the European Space 
Agency awarded Reaction Engines $100 mil- 
lion to develop a heat exchanger for SABRE 
— the Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine 


— which would power the planned Skylon, an 
83-meter-long unmanned space plane. Japan 
also renewed its commitment to achieving hy- 
personic transpacific flight by 2025 by initially 
focusing on ground tests to support reusable 
rocket and air-breathing launch vehicles. 

These programs require more thorough 
understanding and control of finer points sur- 
rounding flow control, boundary layers, ki- 
netics and thermal considerations, and these 
are being ardently pursued by organizations 
around the world, including NASA, ESA, the 
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), 
the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and the 
Chinese and Russian Academies of Sciences, 
to name a few. In addition to the world-class 
facilities being set up in China, AFRL and the 
Arnold Engineering Development Complex 



Northrop Grumman 


announced a partnership to establish a new 
High Speed Experimentation Branch at Ar- 
nold Air Force Base, Tennessee. 

Much of the necessary fundamental re- 
search is being executed at universities 
around the world, including: 

• The University of Queensland, Australia, 
is actively investigating speeds up to Mach 8. 

• Japanese universities are in strong col- 
laborations with JAXA and industry to develop 
highly instmmented hypersonic test articles. 

• DLR, EADS and Universitat Stuttgart in 
Germany continue their ATLLAS II, LAPCAT-II 
and HEXAFLY programs. 

• In June, CUBRC highlighted the need 
for more exact turbulence models through 
blind validation studies to model shock wave 
interactions with developed hypersonic 
boundary layers. 

• PM&AM Research is dramatically ex- 
panding flight envelopes beyond current ca- 
pabilities by implementing its Energy Deposi- 
tion technologies in collaboration with Texas 
A&M University’s National Aerothermochem- 
istry Laboratory on independent AFRL, NASA 
and U.S. Navy programs. A 


Flying 
faster with 
collaboration 

by Kevin Kremeyer 

The Hypersonic Technologies 
and Aerospace Planes 
Program Committee works 
to expand the hypersonics 
knowledge base and promote 
continued hypersonic 
technology progress through 
ground and flight testing. 



Lockheed Martin 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 49 




Rolls-Royce/Indiana University- 
Purdue University Indianapolis 


PROGRAM COMMITTEES 


Pressure gain 
combustion 
gains advocacy 


by Christopher Brophy 
and Dan Paxson 

The Pressure Gain Combustion 
Program Committee was 

estabtished in January 2014 
and has 38 members , 

10 of whom are international, 
with membership evenly 
split among government, 
industry and academia. 

The committee advances 
the investigation, development 
and application of 
pressure-gain technologies 
for improving propulsion 
and power generation 
systems and achieving 
new mission capabilities. 


I nterest in pressure gain combustion over 
the decades has included the investigation 
of pulse detonation engines, internal combus- 
tion wave rotors, pulse combustors, rotating 
detonation engines and other concepts. Con- 
tinued strong interest was seen in 2014, with 
significant research initiatives and a lively dis- 
cussion over standards and definitions. 

The program committee’s working defini- 
tion of pressure gain combustion — “A periodic 
combustion process whereby the total pressure 
of the exit flow, on an appropriately averaged 
basis, is above that of the inlet flow” — gener- 
ated healthy discussion in the committee and 
continues to be debated and modified. 

Another challenge will be to define a stan- 
dard for how the pressure gain delivered in 
a combustor should be measured, computed 
and reported. An effort is underway to con- 
solidate the thermodynamic arguments and 
establish a consistent explanation for how 
these systems operate and how performance 
benefits should be calculated. 


A General Electric three-tube pulse 
detonation engine arrangement. 


W:Ml 



An internal combustor wave 
rotor developed by Rolls-Royce 
and Indiana University-Purdue 
University Indianapolis. 


In the science and technology realm, work 
has been undertaken by private sector organi- 
zations and U.S. government agencies, includ- 
ing the Air Force Research Laboratory; Office 
of Naval Research; the Energy Department’s 
ARPA-E organization (Advanced Research 
Projects Agency-Energy) and the 
National Energy Technology Lab. 
Various combustor architectures 
have been explored to utilize the 
thermodynamic benefits of a PGC 
cycle in which generation of a 
net pressure rise is seen during 
a combustion event. A significant 
amount of recent work has fo- 
cused on rotating detonation engines due to 
their relative simplicity and potential integra- 
tion synergy with other propulsion and power 
subsystems. At the Air Force Research Labora- 
tory, RDE rocket research continued through 
follow-on programs as well as a new funda- 
mental rocket performance effort. Air-breath- 
ing RDE work included integration of an RDE 
combustor with a conventional turboshaft. 

In September, Aerojet Rocketdyne con- 
cluded a project to research continuous deto- 


General Electric 


A pulse detonation engine developed 
by the Pratt & Whitney/United 
Technologies Research Center 
demonstrates pressure gain 
at turbine conditions. 


50 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 



Pratt & Whitney/Un ited Technologies Research Center 



A rotating detonation engine operating to thermal equilibrium 
at the Air Force Research Laboratory. 


nation combustion technology as a means of 
reducing natural gas consumption and green- 
house gas emissions. The project, funded by 
ARPA-E, was performed at this stage with hy- 
drogen-air and hydrogen-oxygen fueled com- 
bustion rather than natural gas. 

Also in September, the Energy Depart- 
ment’s Office of Fossil Energy made two Phase 
1 awards in the PGC area. Aerojet Rocketdyne 
will develop and validate a systems model for 
a rotating detonation combustor suitable for 
integration into an overall systems model of a 
power plant, and the company will define the 
path to configurations exceeding 65 percent 
combined cycle efficiency. Under the second 
award, United Technologies Research Center 
will develop a combined cycle systems model 
that incorporates pulse detonation combustion. 
The award includes the conceptual design of 
modified systems components and pulse det- 
onation technologies and an assessement of 
multi-stream, kinetics-based NOx production. 

In April, the Office of Fossil Energy re- 
leased a funding announcement, “Advanced 
Turbine Components for Combined Cycle 
and Supercritical C02 Based Power Cycle 
Applications,” for research toward a 65 per- 
cent or greater combined cycle efficiency, a 
20 percent reduction in cost of energy and 
a reduction of C02 capture costs to $40 per 
metric ton. The Advanced Combustion Tur- 
bines topic area included a specific subtopic 
on PGC systems. 

The Office of Fossil Energy has also pro- 
vided funding to support the fabrication of an 
RDE design that was scheduled for testing in 
December. This research effort, which is sched- 
uled to grow in 2015, will continue to explore 
unique opportunities for PGC in land-based 
power generation applications, and in close 
collaboration with colleagues at the Defense 
Department and NASA. 

A Space Act Agreement was established 
between NASA’s Glenn Research Center and 
AFRL to perform RDE modeling and experi- 
mental validation. A 


AFRL 





PROGRAM COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


M ultiple development efforts are under- 
way to achieve affordable, responsive 
spacelift and to address current budget pres- 
sures and launch market challenges. Interest 
in reusable launch vehicles as a solution to 


expendable rocket launcher is air-dropped 
from an executive jet carrier aircraft. The 
single-stage GOLauncher 1 will support sub- 
orbital research projects while the two-stage 
GOLauncher 2 will launch small orbital pay- 
loads. In July the company completed cap- 
tive-carry flight tests of a simulated launch 
stack on a Learjet carrier aircraft. 

XCOR Aerospace is moving forward with 
development of the Lynx reusable subor- 
bital space plane. The Lynx Mark I vehicle 
is expected to be ready by the end of 2014 
and begin flight testing in early 2015. Once 
operational, the Lynx is expected to make 
multiple suborbital trips a 
day. Follow-on Lynx ver- 
sions are being pursued to 
address small payload or- 
bital flights. 

SpaceX has moved into 
the next phase of testing for 
the development of a reus- 
able Falcon 9 first stage after completing eight 
flight tests of its Grasshopper vehicle. Two F9R 
airframes were available for testing. In August, 
a problem shortly after launch caused the first 
test vehicle to self-destruct on its second test 
flight in Texas. SpaceX has also completed sev- 
eral downrange landing tests of the first stage 
of its operational Falcon 9 system. 

British company Reaction Engines Ltd. is 
continuing development of SABRE, its Syn- 
ergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine, and 
entered a cooperative research and develop- 
ment agreement with the U.S. government 
to perform SABRE cycle analysis and assess- 
ment of applications toward future reusable 
launch systems. A 


The race 
to reusability 

by Adam Dissel 
and Barry Heilman 

The Reusable Launch 
Vehicles Program Committee 

brings together experts 
to focus on leoding-edge 
programs and developments 
in this area. 



Reaction Engine's Skylon 
concept highlighting 
the SABRE engine. 


KnightTwo carrier aircraft. In Novem- 
ber the company said construction of 
a second SpaceShipTwo is 65 percent 
complete. Virgin Galactic is also de- 
veloping the LauncherOne system to 
address the small-lift orbital market 
by using the WhiteKnightTwo to re- 
lease an expendable launch vehicle. 

Generation Orbit is designing a 
small spacelift system in which an 



these challenges remains strong and the past 
year has seen marked progress by government 
and industry toward development of reusable 
spacelift and flight demonstrator systems. 

In July, DARPA announced the start of 
work under the Experimental Spaceplane 
program, called XS-1, which seeks to develop 
a reusable, responsive first stage launch ve- 
hicle. The goal is to break the cycle of esca- 
lating space system costs and enable routine 
space access. Three Phase 1 awards were 
made earlier in the year to teams headed 
by Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Masten 
Space Systems. 

Swiss Space Systems is moving forward 
with its Soar three-stage launch system devel- 
opment. The Soar concept is to use an airliner 
to air launch a reusable rocket-powered shut- 
tle with an expendable final stage. In addition 
to its new U.S. headquarters in Washington, 
D.C., S3 opened offices at the Kennedy Space 
Center, Florida, and at NASA’s Ames Research 
Center in California in preparation for a zero 
gravity commercial flight campaign with its 
first-stage Airbus aircraft and for Mach 0.8-2. 8 
wind tunnel tests on a 1:44 scale mock-up of 
the shuttle. Additionally, an agreement was 
signed with the city of North Bay and Cana- 
dore College’s School of Aviation Technol- 
ogy in Ontario, Canada, which will support 
S3’s 3:8 scale mock-up helicopter drop tests 
planned for late 2014 and early 2015. A pre- 
liminary design review is scheduled for the 
end of the year. 

Virgin Galactic said it would con- 
tinue with plans to offer suborbital 
tourist flights after a catastrophic 
test Oct. 31 when its SpaceShipTwo 
space plane broke up in flight and 
crashed in the Mojave Desert, killing 
one pilot and injuring the other. The 
breakup occurred shortly after the 
vehicle was released from the White- 


The Soar shuttle is carried 
by a modified airliner. 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 51 


Swiss Space Systems ESA 


NASA/Barbara Lambert 


PROGRAM COMMITTEES 


Space 

environment 

milestones 

by Brian O'Connor and 
the Space Environmental 
Systems Program 
Committee 

The Space Environmental 
Systems Program Committee 

focuses on environmental 
and thermal control 
technologies for aircraft , 
spacecraft and exploration 
missions. 


N otable accomplishments this year in the 
implementation of environmental and 
thermal control in aerospace systems included 
many large projects meeting major review 
and integration milestones. 

In July, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight 
Center completed thermal vacuum testing 
of the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission 
observatory satellites at the Naval Research 
Laboratory. The primary goal was to dem- 
onstrate repeated system-level performance 
at the extremes of the flight predicted tem- 
peratures. Vertex Aerospace, contracted by 
Goddard, developed the thermal design and 
predicted the flight and test temperatures. 
In addition, the project designed and imple- 


The four Magnetospheric 
MultiScale Observatory 
satellites are shown fully 
stacked without covers. 




mented 1-Wire temperature 
sensor technology, which re- 
duced the number of wires 
from hundreds to just 18. The 
test demonstrated that the 
workmanship of the obser- 
vatories was acceptable. The 
post-test correlated thermal 
model verified the effective- 
ness of the thermal design 
elements, including surface 
coatings, multilayer insula- 
tion, heater circuit capaci- 
ties and power duty cycles. 
The project is scheduled to 
launch from Kennedy Space 
Center in March. 

The James Webb Space 
Telescope achieved a major 
milestone this year when the 
sunshield was stacked and 
unfurled in a cleanroom at a 
Northrop Grumman facility 


in Redondo Beach, California. The telescope 
will rely on the sunshield to keep the optics 
cold. It is about the length of a tennis court 
when deployed but must be folded around 
the telescope before launch. Composed of 
five layers of thin membrane, the sunshield 
must unfurl reliably in space to precise toler- 
ances to allow the telescope optics to oper- 
ate at temperatures of around 50 kelvins (mi- 
nus 370 degree Fahrenheit). The telescope is 
scheduled to launch in 2018. 

The European Space Agency’s ExoMars 
mission reached several major hardware de- 
livery milestones this year and is well on its 
way to a January 2016 launch. The mission 
consists of an orbiter and a stationary lander. 
Manufacturing of the back and front heat 
shield structures was completed by Thales 
Alenia Space of France and Airbus Defence 
and Space of Spain, respectively. Both sec- 
tions were delivered to Airbus Defence and 
Space in France and 180 cork tiles were 
bonded to the thermal protection system. 
Thales Alenia Space also begun integration 
of the avionics on the lander in Italy. This 
includes qualifying and installing thermal 
capacitors needed for the thermal control of 
some high dissipating avionic units. 

ESA’s Orion Service Module completed 
its preliminary design review this year. The 
module will provide primary power, expend- 
able supplies, including water and oxygen, 
propulsion, attitude control and thermal con- 
trol to the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehi- 
cle. The review inspected the environmental 
control and life-support system architecture 
in terms of mass, power and safety aspects 
of a crewed system. This led, in particular, 
to improvements in the robustness and reli- 
ability of the thermal control subsystem and 
the consumables subsystem, while minimiz- 
ing mass. 

The expanding field of smallsats, cube- 
sats and microsats is providing an economi- 
cal platform to test new thermal control 
technologies. For example, the Japanese 
micro-satellite Hodoyoshi-4, which launched 
in June, has a number of new technologies 
that were demonstrated to work in space. 
One technology is a heat storage panel that 
moderates temperature changes around 
the phase-change temperature of a chosen 
phase-change material, such as eicosane, 
encased in a carbon fiber reinforced poly- 
mer. Another heat storage technology uses 
a solid-solid crystalline structure change to 
store the heat. The material could potentially 
be used in the structure of a spacecraft. A 


52 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 




PROGRAM COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


N ASA announced in January that Interna- 
tional Space Station operations will be 
extended through 2024 to allow more time to 
conduct human research in microgravity and 
test critical exploration technologies, such as 
life support systems, to reduce the risks for 
long-duration missions. To ensure continuity 
of ISS operations for the next decade, NASA 
selected Boeing and SpaceX to provide com- 
mercial crew transportation services to ISS 
starting in 2017. 

The first test flight of Lockheed Martin’s 
Orion deep-space crew capsule is scheduled 
for December aboard a Delta 4 rocket. The 
primary objective of the unmanned mission 
is to test Orion’s heat shield. After two orbits, 
Orion will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere at 
almost 20,000 miles per hour. 

NASA made progress on the Asteroid Re- 
direct Mission to capture a small near-Earth 
asteroid and redirect it into a stable orbit 
around the moon, where astronauts launched 
aboard Orion will visit it around 2025. A mis- 
sion formulation review was completed in 
April and several candidate asteroid targets 
were identified. NASA awarded 18 contracts 
for industry-led studies of asteroid capture 
systems, rendezvous sensors and a solar elec- 
tric propulsion module based on an existing 
commercial spacecraft bus. A subscale inflat- 
able asteroid capture system was designed 
and tested, a modified space suit for explor- 
ing the asteroid was demonstrated in under- 
water tests, and a new portable life support 
system for the suit was tested with a human 
in the loop. 

In robotic space exploration, in Decem- 
ber 2013 China became the third nation to 
soft land a spacecraft on the moon. The Yutu 
rover deployed on the Chang’e 3 mission sur- 
vived for one lunar night at its landing site in 
the Sinus Iridum crater. 

On Mars, NASA’s Curiosity rover com- 
pleted its first Martian year (687 Earth days) 
of operations on June 24. One of Curiosity’s 
first major findings was an ancient riverbed at 
its landing site, known as Yellowknife Bay, in 
Gale Crater. The analysis of samples obtained 
from two mudstone slabs revealed that cra- 
ter was once a lakebed with mild water and 
was habitable for simple life forms. MAVEN, 
the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution 
spacecraft, went into orbit around Mars in 
September on a mission to study the evolu- 
tion of the planet’s upper atmosphere. 

The InSight mission, to be launched in 
2016 to investigate the inner structure of Mars’ 
core, mantle and crust, completed its critical 


design review in May. And in July, NASA an- 
nounced the seven instruments selected for 
the Mars 2020 rover, which will search for 
habitable environments and cache samples for 
eventual return to Earth. One of the payloads 
will demonstrate the production of oxygen 
from the Mars atmosphere to enable in-situ 
propellant production for human missions. 

After a 10-year, 6.4-billion-kilometer jour- 
ney, the European Space Agency’s Rosetta 
became the first spacecraft to rendezvous 
with a comet when it reached 67P/Churyu- 
mov-Gerasimenko. Rosetta deployed the 
Philae lander, which touched down on the 
comet on Nov. 12 to image and sample the 
comet’s nucleus. 

NASA’s Pluto-bound New Horizons 
spacecraft, launched in January 2006, has 
crossed the orbit of Neptune, nearly 2.75 bil- 
lion miles from Earth, on its way to make a 
close encounter with Pluto in July 2015. In 
space exploration technology, NASA tested 
a prototype low-density inflatable decelera- 
tor and 33.5-meter supersonic ring sail para- 
chute for landing heavier payloads on Mars. 
The test vehicle was dropped from a high- 
altitude balloon. 

Morpheus, a vertical-takeoff-and-landing 
planetary lander, demonstrated an autono- 
mous landing and hazard avoidance system in 
flight tests at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. 

In August, a 5.5-meter diameter composite 
cryogenic fuel tank filled with 30,000 gallons of 
liquid hydrogen completed structural loads tests 
at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The project 
is exploring the use of composite materials to 
produce lightweight fuel tanks for rockets. A 


Human , robotic 
exploration 
make strides 

by Chris Moore 
and Surendra Sharma 

The Space Exploration 
Program Committee brings 
together experts on topics 
relevant to future human 
and robotic exploration 
missions. 


This conceptual image shows the 
Orion spacecraft approaching the 
robotic asteroid capture vehicle. 



NASA 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 53 



PROGRAM COMMITTEES 


Electric aircraft 
head to market 

by Brian German 
and Mark Moore 

The Transformational Flight 
Program Committee 

was established in 2013 
to explore the potential 
of electric propulsion 
and autonomy technologies 
on enabling new aviation 
missions and markets. 


WATTsUP electric trainer aircraft. 


T his year saw continued advancements in 
electric-powered flight. Pipistrel achieved 
first flight of its WATTsUP electric trainer air- 
craft in August. The aircraft, which is based on 
the airframe of the Slovenian company’s Al- 
pha Trainer, employs an 85-kilowatt electric 
motor developed by Siemens that provides 
more power than the Rotax 912 it replaces, 
permitting an increase in the rate of climb to 
1,000 feet per minute. The aircraft achieves 
one hour of endurance with a 30-minute vi- 
sual flight rules reserve. On approach, up to 
13 percent of the energy expended in the pat- 
tern climb and circle can be recovered from 
the windmilling propeller. The three batteries 
can be removed and exchanged or recharged 
to 80 percent capacity in less than an hour 
to enable rapid sorties. The aircraft has been 
certified in France and preparations are be- 
ing made for U.S. certification through re- 
vised light sport aircraft standards that permit 
electric motor propulsion. Priced at $123,000, 
sales are set to begin in 2013. 

Airbus flew the E-Fan electric aircraft 
demonstrator in March. The E-Fan’s two mo- 
tors, powered by a 250-volt battery system, 
produce 60 kilowatts of total power for a 
one-hour flight duration with 15 minutes of 
reserve. A drive system in the wheels pro- 
vides 6 kilowatts for taxi and to assist in take- 
off acceleration. Airbus said the company 
will begin producing the E-Fan 2.0 in late 
2017 as a certified two-seat pilot trainer and 
will begin development of a hybrid-electric 
four-seat aircraft, the E-Fan 4.0, to be certi- 
fied by 2019 for the general aviation mar- 
ket. These efforts are envisioned by Airbus 
as prerequisites for application of electrical 
propulsion technologies in a 90-seat electric 
or hybrid-electric regional transport. 

The Solar Impulse 2 made its first flight in 
Switzerland in July to prepare for an around- 
the- world attempt in 2015. The aircraft has a 
span of 236 feet, which enables placement of 
1 7,000 solar cells on the wing upper surface. 
In addition to providing instantaneous power 
for the airplane’s four propellers, the solar 




cells will charge lithium-ion batteries to pro- 
vide power at night and in cloudy conditions. 
The duration of the planned round-the-world 
flight will be several weeks. 

NASA’s Langley Research Center started 
flying the GL-10 Greased Lightning distrib- 
uted electric propulsion sub-scale demonstra- 
tor in August. NASA hopes to achieve a factor 
of four improvement in cruise aerodynamic 
efficiency compared with existing helicopter- 
based vertical-takeoff-and-landing operations. 
The GL-10 is a tilt- wing and tilt-tail configura- 
tion with a total of 10 propellers that produce 
a high induced velocity flowfield over the 
wing and tail during transition flight to ensure 
flow attachment and to avoid transition buffet 
and roll control limitations. 

DARPA initiated the Aircraft Labor In- 
cockpit Automation System, or ALIAS, pro- 
gram in April to provide enhanced autopilot 
capabilities across aviation platforms. The 
program envisions drop-in equipment kits 
that serve as full-time automated flight assis- 
tants to reduce the required number of crew 
and pilot workload through trusted and reli- 
able automated systems. 

The Transformational Flight Program 
Committee organized three technical sessions 
at the AIAA SciTech Forum in January and six 
at the Aviation Forum in June. Highlights of 
the sessions included presentations about the 
Joby Aviation S2 VTOL personal air vehicle 
concept, papers related to the GL-10 develop- 
ment effort and auralizations of the acoustics 
of NASA’s LEAPTech 20-propeller distributed 
propulsion concept. Additionally, in partner- 
ship with the AHS Advanced Vertical Flight 
and the AIAA V/STOL technical commitees, 
the TFPC helped organize the Transforma- 
tive Vertical Flight Concepts Workshop held 
in Arlington, Virginia, in August. This event 
brought together 100 participants from startup 
companies, large aerospace firms, govern- 
ment and academia to discuss electric propul- 
sion concepts for VTOL aircraft. A 


54 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


Pipistrel 



PROPULSION 

:ENERGY2ois 


27-29 JULY 2015 

CALL FOR PAPERS 

Take this opportunity to present and discuss your 
work and your experience in the area of propulsion 
and energy. Submit your abstract today! 

We are accepting abstracts (unrestricted as well as 
ITAR) in more than 25 propulsion and energy topic 
areas, which are not limited to: 



DO, FLORIDA 



• Advanced Propulsion 
Concepts 

• Aerospace Power 
Systems 

• Air Breathing 
Propulsion Systems 
Integration 

• Aircraft Electric 
Propulsion 

• Electric Propulsion 

• Energy Conversion 
Device Technology 

• Fossil-Fuel Power 

• Gas Turbine Engines 

• Green Engineering 


High-Speed Air- 
Breathing Propulsion 

Hybrid Rocket 
Liquid Propulsion 

Nuclear Power 
Technologies 

Propellants and 
Combustion 

Solid Rocket 
Propulsion 

Space and Earth-to- 
Orbit Vehicle Systems 

Thermal Management 
Technology 

Many more... 


• 5 1 st AIAA/SAE/ASEE Joint 
Propulsion Conference 

• 1 3th International Energy 
Conversion Engineering Conference 


Abstract Deadline: 

7 JANUARY 2015 

Submit Your Abstract Today! 

aiaa-propulsionenergy.org <&A!AA 

Shaping the Future of Aerospace 



15-512 




PROPULSION AND ENERGY 


The quest for 
fuel efficiency 

by Dyna Benchergui 

The Air Breathing Propulsion 
Systems Integration 
Technical Committee 

focuses on the application of 
mechanical design , 
fluid mechanics , 
and thermodynamics 
to the science and technology 
of air vehicle propulsion 
and power systems integration 



GE Aviation 


A cross-section of the 
777X GE9x engine. 


A n MIT/Aurora Flight Sciences/Pratt & 
Whitney team completed NASA-spon- 
sored experimental and computational studies 
to assess the boundary layer ingestion, or BLI, 
benefit on the MIT N+3 D8 double bubble 
configuration being considered for 2035-era 
aircraft. A 1/1 1th scale powered model inves- 
tigation in the NASA Langley Research Center 
l4-by-22-foot subsonic wind tunnel showed 
a 6 percent reduction in power required, at a 
simulated cruise condition, for a twin-engine 
integrated BLI configuration, compared with 
a podded-engine configuration. Both force 
and moment data and engine inlet and exit 
pressure rake flow surveys were conducted 
to support the assessment of the BLI benefit. 
A collaborative Airbus/Snecma study 
concluded that the counter- 
rotating open-rotor engine is 
the most fuel efficient option 
to power 2030-era short- to 
medium-range airliners. 
y Following CROR blade set 
wind tunnel testing last 
year, Snecma is developing 
a geared open-rotor demon- 
strator engine to be ground tested by 2015. 
Airbus is completing engine-airframe integra- 
tion to meet certification noise and blade-off 
requirements. Preliminary results indicate a 
feasible noise level for pusher open-rotors 
mounted on the aft fuselage and tail, rela- 
tive to underwing-mounted engines. Airbus is 
also working to minimize the added weight 
and fuel burn penalty resulting from using a 
fail-safe engine hub and airframe shielding to 
protect the aircraft from blade-off damage. 

As part of NASA’s Environmentally Re- 
sponsible Aviation program, Virginia Tech 
developed a novel method of designing dis- 
tortion tolerant fans for next-generation air- 
craft configurations. A target flow distortion 
pattern, generated experimentally or through 
computational fluid dynamics, is used to de- 
sign the StreamVane. Subscale models are 
then wind tunnel tested before full-scale 


StreamVanes are rapidly produced by addi- 
tive manufacturing. Particle image velocim- 
etry measurements during initial testing of a 
21 -inch-diameter StreamVane installed in Vir- 
ginia Tech’s JT-15D research engine showed 
the desired swirl flow patterns between the 
StreamVane and fan face. Future work will in- 
volve complete mapping of the flow and fan 
response to the distorted inflow. 

The Boeing 787 ecoDemonstrator flight 
test program is evaluating an acoustically 
treated oxide ceramic matrix composite, or 


CMC, nozzle developed by Boeing, Rolls- 
Royce, COI Ceramics and Albany Engineered 
Composites. Preliminary test results show 
that the CMC nozzle’s material is more heat 
resistant and noticeably lighter than state-of- 
the-art engine nozzles and a potential break- 
through technology for improving propul- 
sion system efficiency. 

The GE Aviation GE9X engine for the 
new Boeing 777X is undergoing technology 
maturation tests, including universal propul- 
sion simulator fan performance tests and CMC 
parts testing in a GEnx engine. 

In the electric propulsion sector, Bom- 
bardier demonstrated a non-temperature re- 
stricted bleedless auxiliary power unit, or 
APU, using a starter generator — a first in the 
aerospace industry. The Safran-developed 
electric-APU system consists of a starter gen- 
erator, power electronics and a lithium-ion 
battery system. The test conducted at Turbo- 
meca’s cold chamber facility consisted of a 
cold soak of the e-APU at minus 40 degrees 
Fahrenheit, followed by unrestricted starting 
enabled by its lithium-ion battery system. 

Airbus flew the all-electric two-seat E-Fan 
trainer, powered by lithium batteries and an 
electric motor. The company also began a 
three-year research project with Hydrogen 
South Africa Systems to study hydrogen fuel 
cells to replace APUs for emission-free and 
low-noise ground operations. 

Solar Impulse 2 flew for the first time. The 
aircraft will be used in 2015 to attempt the 
first around-the-world solar-powered flight. 
The propulsion system consists of 17,000 so- 
lar cells charging 260 watt-hour per kilogram 
lithium batteries driving four 17.5 horsepower 
brushless electric motors. 

Under the Air Force Research Laboratory’s 
ADVENT program, for Adaptive Versatile En- 
gine Technology, GE completed 100-hour 
testing of its ADVENT demonstrator and will 
continue to mature its adaptive cycle design 
through the follow-on AFRL Adaptive Engine 
Technology Development program. 

In the rotorcraft propulsion sector, GE 
continued development of technologies for 
a 5,000-10,000-shaft-horsepower-class tur- 
boshaft/turboprop engine under the Army’s 
Future Affordable Turbine Engine program. 
Rig tests will be conducted to validate inno- 
vative, advanced components, leading up to a 
full system demonstration. GE and the Army 
completed the second test of the GE3000 tur- 
boshaft engine, designed as a drop-in replace- 
ment for the T700 currently powering UH-60 
Black Hawk and AH-64 Apache helicopters. A 


56 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


I n June the Cassini mission marked 10 years 
of exploring Saturn, its rings and moons. 
Its radioisotope thermoelectric generators are 
performing as predicted, with propellant as 
the life-limiting factor of the mission. It is a 
project of NASA, the European Space Agency 
and the Italian Space Agency, and is managed 
by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA. 

MESSENGER, the Mercury Surface, Space 
Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging mis- 
sion, marked 10 years since its August 2004 
launch and more than three Earth years (14 
Mercury years) in orbit. The spacecraft oper- 
ates in one of the most challenging and de- 
manding environments with solar arrays de- 
signed for the high solar intensity (11 suns) 
and high temperature by tilting the panels as 
the solar intensity increases. The Johns Hop- 
kins University Applied Physics Laboratory 
built and operates the spacecraft and man- 
ages the mission for NASA. 

In another milestone, NASA’s Opportunity 
Mars rover reached 10 years of operation and 
now holds the off-Earth roving distance re- 
cord of 40 kilometers. Opportunity’s power 
system uses triple junction solar cell technol- 
ogy and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. 
The Jet Propulsion Lab manages the project 
for NASA. 

NASA, ATK Space Systems and Deploy- 
able Space Systems Inc. are developing light- 
weight solar arrays with innovative packag- 
ing and deployment schemes for high-power 
solar electric propulsion systems. Twenty- 
kilowatt-scale units of ATK’s MegaFlex and 
DSS’ Mega-ROSA were built and tested in 
2014. Testing included thermal-vacuum de- 
ployment at the Glenn Research Center’s 
Plum Brook Station and Boeing’s El Segundo, 
California, facility; plasma environment testing 
at JPL; and radiation testing at NASA’s God- 
dard Space Flight Center, along with stowed 
and deployed dynamics testing, deployed 
strength and stiffness testing, and analytical 
correlation to structural and thermal data. 

Engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight 
Center, working with Jacobs Engineering and 
ManTech International, built and tested a large, 
inflatable solar array that could provide 1 kilo- 
watt in Earth orbit. The solar array could be 
folded and deployed without damaging the so- 
lar cells in a laboratory environment. 

A non-nuclear power conversion demon- 
stration unit for a large fission reactor power 
system was tested at full power before deliv- 
ery in September to Glenn. It uses a 12 kilo- 
watt-electric Stirling developed by Sunpower 
Inc. and features a unique sodium-potassium 


heat exchanger integrated with a pumped so- 
dium-potassium heat transfer loop developed 
by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. 

NASA is developing more efficient ther- 
moelectric technologies that can increase 
performance by two to four times over state- 
of-practice systems with a 25 percent improve- 
ment in electrical power output at beginning 
of life over the current thermoelectric system 
operating on Mars and reduced performance 
degradation over time. Several advanced 
high-temperature thermoelectric materials 
and high-temperature rare earth compounds 
have been developed for integration into ad- 
vanced power generation devices at JPL. The 
stability of their thermoelectric properties has 
been demonstrated for over 18,000 hours at 
temperatures up to 1,323 kelvins. Teledyne 
Energy System Inc. will mature JPL’s lab scale 
thermoelectric materials, components and 
couple production processes into flight-like 
ready couples and modules. 


Power system 
milestones 

By Barbara McKissock 
and Gregory Carr 

The Aerospace Power 
Systems Technical 

Committee focuses 
on the analysis , design , test 
or application of electric 
power systems or elements 
of electric power systems 
for aerospace use 



Sunpower's 12 kilowatts-electric 
power conversion unit with 

A 1 kilowatt non-flow-through polymer electrically heated heater head, 
electrolyte membrane fuel cell developed 
by NASA with Infinity Fuel Cell and Hy- 
drogen Inc. was integrated and tested in a 
rover power module. It eliminates the mass, 
volume and parasitic power penalties asso- 
ciated with water management in conven- 
tional fuel cells. 

NASA is researching the use of high-temper- 
ature solid oxide fuel cells that could use hy- 
drocarbon boil-off, residuals and methane that 
reduce the need for pure hydrogen and oxygen 
and large waste heat rejection systems. A 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 57 


NASA 


CU Aerospace University of Michigan 


PROPULSION AND ENERGY 


Expanded 
power for 
electric 
propulsion 

by Wensheng Huang 

The Electric Propulsion 
Technical Committee works 
to advance research , 
development and application 
of electric propulsion for 
satellites and spacecraft. 


Busek 



A collection of micro electric 
thrusters. Clockwise from upper 
left: Prototype CubeSat Ambipolar 
Thruster, Iodine compatible 
BHT-200 Hall thruster, Propulsion 
Unit for CubeSat, Micro-cathode 
arc thruster. 


T his year has seen a renewed push in the 
operating power of electric propulsion de- 
vices, toward both the low and high ends of the 
scale. A rise in CubeSat propulsion demands 
and funding opportunities, including many 
from the NASA Small Spacecraft Technology 
Program, has led to a plethora of new develop- 
ment projects in micro-electric propulsion. 

Universities and commercial entities alike 
are in a race to provide capable, affordable 
propulsion for small satellites. In particu- 
lar, Busek Co., the Massachusetts Institute of 
Technology and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Labo- 
ratory are developing the next generation of 
micro-electrospray thrusters with operating 
powers ranging from 2 to 10 watts. Mean- 
while, another set of Busek colloid thrusters 
is expected to fly on the Space Technology 7 
Disturbance Reduction System mission in 
2015. Michigan Technological University 
is developing a new electrospray con- 
cept based on ferrofluid that can main- 
tain emission tips by a simple application 
of the magnetic field. The University of 
Michigan is developing a novel 10-to-50- 
watt helicon thruster called the CubeSat 
Ambipolar Thruster and ran a successful 
Kickstarter campaign to help fund the 
development. 

CU Aerospace and VACCO Indus- 
tries have built and delivered four Pro- 
pulsion Units for CubeSat systems, which are 
15-watt warm gas thrusters, to the Air Force 
for a 2015 CubeSat launch. George Wash- 
ington University and NASA Ames Research 
Center are developing a micro-cathode arc 
thruster system and plan to deploy it using 
a PhoneSat bus from the International Space 
Station in 2015. In addition, Busek is devel- 


GWU 



NASA Glenn Research Center 


A 12.5-kilowat magnetically 
shielded technology demonstration 
Hall thruster. 


58 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


oping two sizes of iodine-compatible micro- 
RF ion thrusters and Hall thrusters for Cube- 
Sat and small satellite missions. 

CubeSat and small-satellite mission de- 
signers will be glad to hear that there is no 
shortage of propulsion options in production. 

In the development of high-power elec- 
tric propulsion, a 12.5-kilowatt, 3,000-sec- 
ond, magnetically shielded technology dem- 
onstration Hall thruster, jointly developed 
by NASA’s Glenn Research Center and JPL 
for the Solar Electric Propulsion Technology 
Demonstration Mission project and the Aster- 
oid Redirect Mission, was operated at Glenn 
in August. With a predicted throughput of 
3,300 kilograms, this thruster is expected to 
push several boundaries of high-power elec- 
tric propulsion. At the same time, Glenn and 
JPL are studying the possibility of a magneti- 
cally shielded variant of the 3.9-kilowatt High 
Voltage Hall Accelerator, or HiVHAc. Glenn 
has concluded the life test of the 6.9-kilowatt 
NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster at 51,184 
hours and 35.5 meganewton-seconds, which 
are world records for electric propulsion 
testing. Space Systems/Loral is qualifying 
the 4.5-kilowatt SPT-140 for use on a new 
high-power propulsion system with an ongo- 
ing life test that has exceeded 6,000 hours. 
Boeing is on track to produce the 702SP, the 
world’s first all-electric-propulsion satellite. 
Snecma is pushing the operating power of 
the PPS-1350 Hall thruster from 1.5 kilowatts 
up to 2.5 kilowatts by performing a new 
qualification program while developing the 
5-kilowatt PPS-5000. 

Australian National University developed 
a new test facility, called the Wombat XL, 
for helicon thrusters and high-power plasma 
devices. MSNW of Redmond, Washington, is 
qualifying l-to-5-kilowatt power processing 
modules for rotating magnetic field propul- 
sion systems. Last but not least, the Univer- 
sity of Michigan is pushing the Hall thruster 
power boundary with the 100-kilowatt X3 
nested-channel Hall thruster. 

The ion-thruster-propelled Dawn space- 
craft is cruising to the dwarf planet Ceres, 
with a planned arrival date in March. Haya- 
busa-2, also propelled by ion thrusters and 
successor to Hayabusa-1, is slated to launch 
at the end of 2014 to rendezvous and sample 
an asteroid. 

With each new success, electric propul- 
sion becomes more widely accepted and 
newer boundary-pushing electric rockets 
can be developed, paving the way for even 
greater successes. A 



TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


E ngine system testing and university com- 
ponent test facilities played important 
roles in gas turbine engine advance through- 
out the year. 

The Naval Postgraduate School’s Turbo- 
propulsion Laboratory advanced a number of 
critical technologies for gas turbines. These 
efforts included computational and experi- 
mental work on splittered-rotor transonic 
fans to obtain ultra-high single-stage pressure 
ratios of greater than 2-to-l at moderate tip 
Mach numbers. TPL also conducted research 
on advanced and unique turbomachines, 
such as cross flow fans, for ultra-high lift ve- 
hicles, and fluidic control. Work is continuing 
in the school’s spin-pit on methods to excite 
and measure blade vibrations as well as blade 
damping techniques. 

The Steady Thermal Aero Research Tur- 
bine, or START, a new gas turbine research 
lab at Penn State’s Mechanical and Nuclear 
Engineering Department, became fully opera- 
tional. The lab, which houses a continuous 
duration flow facility, includes a 1.5-stage test 
turbine whereby rotational and axial Reyn- 
olds and Mach numbers are matched to that 
of an engine. The goals for the new lab are 
to improve turbine stage sealing and cooling 
technologies at a reasonable cost by using en- 
gine hardware, evaluate the uses of additive 
manufacturing and evaluate new turbine in- 
strumentation. 

Rolls-Royce announced in July that the 
first run had been made of its higher-thrust 
version of the Trent XWB. The 97,000-pound- 
thrust Trent XWB-97 is the only powerplant 
selected for the Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. The 
increased thrust is achieved through a combi- 
nation of new high-temperature turbine tech- 
nology, a larger engine core and advanced 
fan aerodynamics. In June it was announced 


that the first run had been made of the Trent 
1000-TEN, which will power all variants of the 
Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The Trent 1000-TEN 
draws on technologies from the Trent XWB 
engine and Advance engine program, deliver- 
ing thrust and efficiency improvements. 

Engine testing by GE Aviation is on 
schedule for all the Leading Edge Aviation 
Propulsion engine variants, the newest en- 
gine from CFM International, a joint venture 
between GE and Snecma. A total of 20 LEAP 
engines are on track for testing by year end. 
GE and the U.S. Air Force Research Labora- 
tory are testing their adaptive cycle engine 
under the Adaptive Versatile Engine Tech- 



nology, or ADVENT, program. ADVENT is 
scheduled to finish this year, logging up to 
100 total test hours. GE continues to mature 
its adaptive cycle design with AFRL through 
the Adaptive Engine Technology Develop- 
ment program. AETD combustor tests are 
underway with 3-D printed fuel nozzles and 
ceramic matrix composite components. In 
June, GE and the U.S. Army completed their 
second GE3000 turboshaft engine test. The 
GE3000 is designed as a drop-in replacement 
for the T700 currently powering Black Hawk 
and Apache helicopters. 

The Williams International FJ44-4A-32, 
now entering production for the Hawker 
400XPR light jet, is a variant 
of the FJ44-4A engine that 
powers the Cessna CJ4 as 
well as the newly announced 
Pilatus PC-24. And AERO Vo- 
dochody recently announced 
the launch of development 
of the new L-39NG jet train- 
ing aircraft. The key feature 
is the light and fuel-efficient 
Williams International FJ44- 
4M engine, which delivers im- 
proved performance in speed, 
range and endurance. The 
company plans to introduce 
the prototype in 2016, with 
the first deliveries in 2018. A 



Testing drives 
gas turbine 
advances 

by Robert S. Webster 

The Gas Turbine Engines 
Technical Committee works 
to advance the science 
and technology of aircraft 
gas turbine engines 
and engine components. 


Spin-pit test facility at the Naval 
Postgraduate School. 


Rolls-Royce 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 59 




PROPULSION AND ENERGY 


Hypersonic 

research 

accelerates 

by Hassan Hassan, 
Venkat Tangirala 
and Dora Musielak 

The High-Speed Air 
Breathing Propulsion 
Technical Committee 

works to advance 
the science and technology 
of systems that enable 
supersonic and hypersonic 
air vehicle propulsion. 


Mach 4 free-jet experiment 
of a pre-cooled turbojet engine. 



E fforts are continuing in the U.S. and inter- 
nationally in the development of scramjet 
technology, with the goal of providing cost- 
effective hypersonic flight. 

One near-term effort underway is the U.S. 
Defense Department’s High-Speed Strike 
Weapon missile. It is expected that scramjet 
technology will be used to propel an HSSW 
vehicle similar in size to the 4,000-pound 
X-51A hypersonic demonstrator to Mach 5 or 6. 

To further enhance understanding of 
scramjet technology, the Air Force Research 
Laboratory is constructing a facility with a 
test section that measures 18 feet in length 
from the entrance of the isolator to the exit 
of the combustor, with a mass flow rate 10 
times that of the X-51A. The testing will be 
performed at the Arnold Engineering Devel- 
opment Center in Tennessee. Also this year, 
AFRL and AEDC established a partnership 
to launch the High-Speed Experimentation 
Branch at AEDC. The aim of the partner- 
ship is to implement the program outlined in 
“America’s Air Force: A Call to the Future,” 
the Air Force’s 30-year strategy document, 
which was released in July. In particular, 
AEDC, which has unique facilities, will be 
collaborating with AFRL in the development 
of the next generation of scramjet engines. 
The new branch, headed by AFRL high-speed 
systems science and technology adviser 
Glenn Liston, will conduct fundamental and 
systems research in propulsion, aeronautics 
and structural applications providing technol- 
ogy maturation related to hypersonics. 

Under a new Space Act agreement be- 
tween NASA and the Air Force, NASA will 
support several Defense Department pro- 
grams related to hypersonic flight, including 
medium-scale critical components, the Large- 
scale Scramjet Engine Test Technique and the 
High-Speed Strike Weapon program. 

AFRL’s Aerospace Systems Directorate 
entered into a cooperative research and de- 
velopment agreement with U.K. aerospace 
company Reaction 
Engine Ltd. to assess 
the performance, 
applications and 
development path 
for the REL syner- 
getic air-breathing 
rocket engine. The 
agreement will en- 
able AFRL to deter- 
mine whether the 
engine will offer 
unique performance 


60 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


High-Speed Strike Weapon hypersonic missile. 



and vehicle integration advantages compared 
with traditional hypersonic engines. 

A pre-cooled turbojet engine was tested 
under Mach 4 conditions at the Japan Aero- 
space Exploration Agency’s Kakuda Space 
Center in February. The engine was placed 
on the free-jet test stand of the Ramjet Engine 
Test Facility, where hot and high-speed air 
at 880 kelvins simulating Mach 4 flight con- 
ditions was supplied to the engine. Pressure 
recovery performance of the air intake and 
heat exchange performance of the pre-cooler 
using liquid nitrogen were obtained in the ex- 
periment. This is in preparation for a rocket- 
based combiner cycle flight test. 

In-house projects at NASA’s Langley Re- 
search Center Hypersonic Air Breathing Pro- 
pulsion Branch included further development 
of the VULCAN-CFD package to allow for vi- 
brational non-equilibrium and additional sub- 
grid scale models, the new Isolator Dynamic 
Research Lab, and the enhanced injection and 
mixing project. 

The Naval Postgraduate School’s Rocket 
Propulsion Lab has been conducting research 
into pressure gain combustion. Experimental 
testing of various rotating detonation engines 
explored pressure gain combustion charac- 
teristics and the associated higher thermody- 
namic efficiencies using conventional and ad- 
vanced diagnostics, including high-bandwidth 
spectroscopy-based sensors. 

Finally, 2014 marked the fifth and final 
year of funding for the National Center for 
Hypersonic Combined Cycle Propulsion. The 
fifth-year participants included the universi- 
ties of Virginia, Ohio State, George Washing- 
ton and North Carolina State, together with 
NASA’s Langley Research Center. Using a 
dual-mode scram test facility, a variety of test 
sections and injectors were used, in conjunc- 
tion with various instrumentation and simula- 
tion methods. The net result is that a wealth 
of data was generated for both unmixed and 
pre-mixed turbulent reacting flows. LES/RANS 
simulations were conducted, which showed 
good agreement with the experiments. A 


TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


S ystemsGo, the educational non-profit or- 
ganization replicating the successful Fred- 
ericksburg High School Aeroscience program 
across Texas, tested six free-flight sounding 
rockets in July. The six vehicles each used 
hybrid propulsion systems, and were devel- 
oped at five high schools in the state. The 
hybrid propulsion systems used HTPB — hy- 
droxyl-terminated polybutadiene — and par- 
affin fuels to produce 1,500 to 2,000 pounds 
of thrust. 

The Utah State Propulsion Research Labo- 
ratory tested a unique low input power arc- 
ignition system for hybrid rockets. While in- 
vestigating acrylonitrile butadiene styrene as 
hybrid rocket fuel, additively manufactured 
ABS was shown to possess unique electrical 
breakdown characteristics. When an electric 
field is applied to the fuel grain surface, this 
induces an electrostatic arc, resulting in buta- 
diene vapor that seeds combustion. Multiple 


with gaseous oxidizer. The group is currently 
working on reaction kinetics of the Paraffin- 
Sorbitol based hybrid rocket fuel. 

Doctoral student and researcher Beth 
Jens and Professor Brian Cantwell at Stan- 
ford University have continued investigations 
into the combustion of high regression rate 
and classical fuels using the Stanford Com- 
bustion Visualization Facility. They have 
conducted 29 tests across five different fu- 
els and various operating pressures up to 
200 psi. Video data recorded includes high 
speed schlieren, color video and OH chemi- 
luminescence images. The high-speed video 
depicts combustion between oxygen in the 
free stream moving from left to right and a 
sample of blackened paraffin fuel. The shape 
of the sample with its streamlined leading 
edge on the left and blunt trailing edge on 
the right can barely be discerned through the 
luminous flame. The image depicts the en- 


Testing 
innovative 
rocket fuels 

by Martin Chiaverini 

The Hybrid Rockets 
Technical Committee 

studies techniques applied 
to the design and testing 
of rocket motors using 
hybrid rocket systems. 



Beth Jens and Brian Cantwell/Stanford University 


prototypes were designed, built and tested. 
Minimum conditions for successful operation 
were determined, including minimum igni- 
tion pressure, optimal geometry and electrical 
power requirements. Hands-off restart capa- 
bility was demonstrated repeatedly on a lab- 
scale system. 

In Japan, the Hybrid Rocket Research 
Working Group, led by Torn Shimada, con- 
ducted static firing tests of a swirling-oxi- 
dizer-flow-type hybrid rocket engine with a 
thrust of 1.5 kilonewtons for 20 seconds and 
with a thrust of 4.5 kilonewtons for 5 seconds. 
The group conducted a conceptual study on 
a low-cost, 100 kilogram-satellite launcher us- 
ing hybrid rocket engines. 

The hybrid rocket research group at the 
Hindustan University in Chennai, India, has 
developed and tested paraffin-sorbitol-based 
hybrid fuels. A lab scale motor was tested 


trainment of reacting fuel droplets and rapid 
growth of the combustion layer. The pres- 
sure in this experiment was approximately 
160 psi and the flow speed was approxi- 
mately 2 meters per second. 

Professor Joseph Majdalani of Auburn 
University taught the AIAA hybrid rocket 
course this year during the AIAA Joint Pro- 
pulsion and Energy Forum in Cleveland. The 
course attracted a strong international pres- 
ence from Germany, Japan, Italy and South 
Korea. Majdalani covered all 14 lectures in 
two full days and was subsequently invited 
to Japan by Mitsubishi and JAXA, the Japa- 
nese aerospace agency, to teach the course. 

Majdalani and his student Josef Fleis- 
chmann won first place in the AIAA Region 
2 competition for their paper on an im- 
proved flow duels model for vortex injection 
hybrid rockets. A 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 61 



PROPULSION AND ENERGY 


Tests signal 
progress 
for launch, 
interplanetary 
propulsion 

by Vineet Ahuja 

The Liquid Propulsion 
Technical Committee 

works to advance reaction 
propulsion engines 
employing liquid 
or gaseous propellants. 


AJ-26 engine firing at the 
John C. Stennis Space Center's 
El test facility. 


Sea-level test of a Dream Chaser 
RCS Thruster in the Orbital 
Technologies test facility. 


L iquid propulsion developments for 2014 
include adaptation of heritage engines, 
continued development of new engines, test- 
ing and certification, as well as advances in 
sustainable propulsion. 

United Launch Alliance and Aerojet 
Rocketdyne completed development of the 
RL10C-1 engine, with the first unit installed on 
a Centaur upper-stage vehicle. For the Fleet 
Standardization Program, the Aerojet Rocket- 
dyne RS-68A engine was certified for flight on 
a medium-class Delta 4 launch vehicle. 

Under NASA’s Space Launch System pro- 
gram, Aerojet Rocketdyne’s RS-25 engines 
were adapted for the SLS rocket’s core stage. 
The RS-25 development engine with an up- 
dated engine control system is installed at 
NASA Stennis Space Center in Mississippi for 
hot fire and system integration testing. Also at 
Stennis, the Aerojet Rocketdyne J-2X engine 
completed the final 12 development tests, for 
a total of 59 tests accumulating over 17,000 
seconds of hot-fire time, including two low- 
power tests at 50 percent of its design power 
level. 

A preliminary design review was com- 
pleted for the European Space Agency’s 
Orion Service Module, which will provide 
power and propulsion for the Orion crew ve- 
hicle after separation from the launch vehicle. 
The module is being developed under an 
agreement between NASA and the ESA. The 
module will provide propulsion with a stor- 
able, pressure-fed bipropellant system feed- 
ing a 26.6-kilonewton main engine with thrust 
vector control, eight 490-newton auxiliary 
engines, and 24 220-newton reaction control 
system engines. 

ESA’s Vinci expander cycle engine, devel- 
oped by Safran/Snecma, demonstrated opera- 
tion in dual mode with a main boost thrust of 
180 kilonewtons and a restart boost thrust of 
130 kilonewtons. As part of the ESA’s Future 
Launcher Preparatory Program, an Expander 
Technology Integrated Demonstrator in the 
110-150 kilonewton thrust class is being pre- 
pared by Airbus Defence and Space. Additive 
manufacturing is being used to produce the 
liquid oxygen/hydrogen injector as a single 
part. A 40-kilonewton prototype injector was 



62 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


tested at the DLR P8 test bench. 

Moog’s Westcott Operation completed the 
first phase of an ESA-funded effort to develop 
the 1,100 newton MMH/MON LEROS-4 High 
Thrust Apogee Engine. The engine would 
enable increased payloads for ESA’s future in- 
terplanetary exploration missions by reducing 
the mass of spacecraft propellant required for 
orbit insertion maneuvers. More than 700 en- 
gine firings were conducted during sea-level 
testing. 

In Japan, IHI Corp. and IHI Aerospace 
carried out hot fire tests on a 100 kilonewton 
class liquid oxygen/methane regeneratively 
cooled rocket engine that has been under de- 
velopment since 2008. 

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle deliv- 
ered a satellite to geostationary transfer orbit 
for the first time with the launch of the SES-8 
communications satellite in December 2013. 
In July, a Falcon 9 powered by an MVacD up- 
per-stage engine launched the first six of the 
new Orbcomm Generation 2 satellites. The 
MVacD delivers more than 792 kilonewtons 
vacuum thrust, 339 seconds vacuum specific 
impulse and a 2.23:1 throttling capability. It 
also demonstrated the ability to re-start after a 
long duration coast. 

The Air Force Research Laboratory con- 
tinues making progress on its flagship Hy- 
drocarbon Boost program to develop critical 
technologies for oxygen-rich staged combus- 
tion engines. A subscale preburner was tested 
and the first full-scale component for the sys- 
tem was built. 

Also, a new program has been initiated on 
thrust and combustion stability scaling involv- 
ing partners from industry and academia. 

In sustainable propulsion, through NASA’s 
Green Propellant Infusion Mission, Ball Aero- 
space is leading a team of Aerojet Rocket- 
dyne, AFRL, and NASA technicians to develop 
and flight test the non-toxic monopropellant 
AF-M315E as an improved, safer hydrazine 
alternative. Aerojet Rocketdyne completed 
hot fire tests on flight representative 1 -newton 
and 22-newton thrusters at its green facility 
in Redmond, Washington. The plume of the 
22-newton lab model thruster was character- 
ized at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio 
using Raman spectroscopy and 
schlieren imaging. Similarly, 
Orbital Technologies devel- 
oped reaction control thrusters, 
evolved from heritage designs, 
to be used on Sierra Nevada’s 
Dream Chaser spacecraft with 
green propellants. A 

Sierra Nevada 



TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


N ASA’s Glenn Research Center has de- 
veloped preliminary designs for robotic 
aerospacecraft, powered by gas core nuclear 
rocket engines, that would mine helium 3, he- 
lium 4 and hydrogen from the atmospheres of 
Uranus and Neptune to make fuel for smaller 
unmanned exploration aircraft. A study of 
aerial vehicle reconnaissance and exploration 
options was presented at AIAA Propulsion 
and Energy 2014 in July. 

Mission analyses for the exploration ve- 
hicles assessed one-way, round-trip, multiple 
observations, loitering at a phenomenon of 
interest and other options. Unmanned aircraft 
designs that would accommodate both short 
and long missions were proposed. The times 
to travel between various areas of Uranus and 
Neptune were assessed, including distances 
of 10 to 90 degrees (latitude or longitude) and 
using aircraft velocities of 100 to 400 meters 
per second. For Uranus, it would take approx- 
imately 111.3 hours to traverse 90 degrees at 
100 meters per second. At 400 meters per sec- 
ond, the travel time would be 
27.9 hours. The travel times 
at Neptune would be slightly 
lower, given the planet’s 
slightly smaller diameter. For 
example, at Neptune, a flight 
at 100 meters per second for 
the 90-degree traverse would 
be 108.1 hours; the time to 
traverse 90 degrees at 400 
meters per second would be 
27 hours. 

For an unmanned air- 
craft observing a storm, 
circumnavigating the entire 
storm is an advantageous 
approach that would enable 
detailed studies of anoma- 
lous behavior, winds or 
other unique features. Time 
for circumnavigation of 
storms was computed and 
included a 100-kilometer standoff distance 
from the edge of a circular storm. At an 
unmanned aircraft speed of 300 meters per 
second, the time to circumnavigate a 0.05 
Earth radius storm (319 kilometers in diam- 
eter) is just under 91 hours. These analyses 
suggest that there may be several avenues 
for using the gases of the outer planets ef- 
fectively on future exploration missions. 
The vast reservoirs of fuels at Uranus and 
Neptune are more readily accessible than 
those at Jupiter and Saturn and, with the 
advent of nuclear fusion propulsion, may 


offer the best option for the first practical 
interstellar flight. 

The University of Miami conducted a 
preliminary feasibility study for a proposed 
multimission Mars explorer craft — the Mars 
Aerial Nuclear Global Landing Explorer, or 
MANGLE. Using nuclear propulsion to fly in 
the Martian atmosphere, this aerial and land 
robotic system would take off and land ver- 
tically. The craft would use the planet’s at- 
mosphere, which is mostly carbon dioxide, 
as propellant for an air-breathing engine 
heated by a fission nuclear reactor based 
on an open Brayton cycle. To achieve verti- 
cal takeoff and landing the craft would use 
a lifting fan and the vectored nozzle of the 
engine. The engine would generate both 
thrust and auxiliary power. MANGLE would 
cruise at Mach 0.4. The engine’s power 
requirements would be 2.1 megawatts at 
takeoff and landing, and 0.4 megawatts at 
cruise. The system’s total mass would be 
899 kilograms. 


Fueling 

exploration 

by Bryan Palaszewski 

The Nuclear and Future 
Flight Propulsion Technical 
Committee works to advance 
the implementation 
and design of nonchemical, 
high-energy propulsion 
systems other than 
electric thruster systems. 



The craft’s weight is low because it car- 
ries no propellant or radiator, and because of 
the extremely high power and energy den- 
sity of nuclear fission. MANGLE’S blended- 
wing-body design uses a co-flow jet airfoil. 
This innovative ultra-high-lift flow control air- 
foil would provide a cruise lift coefficient of 
3.5 — five to 10 times greater than that of a 
conventional airfoil. MANGLE would not only 
perform a science mission to investigate the 
Martian atmosphere, but would also land to 
examine soil samples at locations of interest 
observed from the aerial survey. A 


This artist's rendering depicts the 
Mars Aerial Nuclear Global Landing 
Explorer taking a soil sample. 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 63 


AIAA 


PROPULSION AND ENERGY 


Game-changing 

turbulent 

combustion 

research 

by Chiping Li, Joanna 
Austin and Yiguang Ju 

The Propellants and 
Combustion Technical 
Committee works to advance 
the knowledge and effective 
use of propellants and 
combustion systems for 
military , civil and commercial 
aerospace systems. 


T u 

e 



X-51A Waverider 


U.S. Air Force 


Cavity Based Scramjet Combustor 

combustion -Mixing 
, interaction 


shock 



Flameholding Flame propagation 
(flammability limit) (turbulent-flame speed) 


hrbulent combustion is the central en- 
ergy conversion process in most U.S. Air 
Force propulsion systems, such as jet en- 
gines, scramjets and large-scale rockets. In 
these engines, the fuel/propellant and oxi- 
dizer are combusted at highly turbulent con- 
ditions and chemical energy is converted to 
mechanical energy for propulsion. The tur- 
bulent combustion process determines the 
engine operability — for example, flammabil- 
ity of recirculating flame-holders — and the 
efficiency, including turbulent flame speed, 
flame surface area and overall burning rate. 

Over the past 30 plus years, significant ex- 
perimental data have been gathered for turbu- 
lent flames of various jet configurations and in 
piston engines. However, the turbulence inten- 
sity in those experiments is significantly lower 
than that in jet engines, scramjets and rockets. 
This is partially due to the experimental and 
measurement difficulties at the high temporal 
and spatial resolutions required to study the 
combustion processes at those highly turbulent 
conditions. Since 2011, the Air Force Office of 
Scientific Research has been making significant 
investments in this area. This was facilitated by 
game-changing progress in combustion diag- 
nostics from AFOSR’s long-term investments, as 
well as those at Sandia National Laboratories’ 
Combustion Research Facility under support 
from the Department of Energy. These efforts 
have already begun to reveal insights of those 
highly turbulent combustion processes. Us- 
ing 10 kilohertz hydroxyl planar laser induced 
fluorescence, James Driscoll and his colleagues 
at the University of Michigan showed that the 
flame surface area increases significantly as 
the turbulence intensifies, resulting in a higher 
overall burning rate. Similar observations have 
been made from other physical and numerical 
experiments, such as those at Georgia Tech 
and Naval Research Laboratory. These results 
indicate that much more efficient combustion 
mechanisms can potentially be devised by in- 
creasing the turbulent intensity. 

Turbulent combustion modeling and 
simulation are playing increasing roles in Air 
Force engine development, mainly in condition 
ranges where significant experimental and test 
data are available and models have been 
sufficiently tuned and anchored to the 
data. However, major gaps remain in 
model validation. Until recently, most 
available data for validation were 
collected at relatively modest 

Cooling-related fuel J 

Property issues turbulent intensity, relevant 

to ground-based systems. As 
experimental data are becoming avail- 


able at highly turbulent conditions relevant to 
aviation and space engines, mostly from efforts 
supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific 
Research, validation and comparison efforts at 
those conditions are now becoming feasible. 

It is not sufficient to simply compare global 
statistical features, such as scalar scatter plots, 
since very different flame structures of signifi- 
cantly different overall burning rates can result 
in nearly identical scalar scatter plots. It is also 
critical to be able to accurately represent off- 
design engine operations, involving ignition/ 
re-ignition, flame blowout and combustion 
stability. These state-changing, transient phe- 
nomena are statistically rare but operationally 
consequential. They are often encountered in 
the development of new, innovative engines 
and usually not well represented by statistically 
averaged modeling approaches. In the model 
development process, it is essential to analyze 
and validate the fundamental model assump- 
tions, based on their representativeness of and 
consistency to the underlying phenomena to 
be modeled. Such evaluation procedures are 
logically far more scientifically rigorous than 
merely comparing to global statistical features. 

Taking advantage of newly available ex- 
perimental data and working with leading re- 
searchers in the community, AFOSR and its 
partners at the Air Force Research Laborato- 
ry’s Aerospace Systems Directorate are taking 
the following steps in turbulent combustion 
model development: 

• Determining dominant/rate-controlling 
phenomena and processes in relevant re- 
gimes and conditions. 

• Obtaining fundamental understanding 
and quantifying data for those phenomena 
and processes. 

• Analyzing key model assumptions based 
on their representativeness of and consistency 
to the underlying phenomena and processes 
to be modeled. 

• Using the above results and data as 
foundations for model development, im- 
provement and validation. 

• Constructing validation/verification pro- 
cedures for evaluating fundamental model as- 
sumptions and comparing simulation results 
of integrated codes to strategically selected 
experimental and test data. 

In the above steps, particular emphasis is 
given to rate-controlling processes and key per- 
formance parameters, especially at conditions 
where the phenomena/processes change states, 
such as the engine flammability limit, combus- 
tion dynamics and ignition transients. Results 
from these efforts are becoming available. A 


64 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


S olid rocket motor technology in tactical, 
strategic and launch systems saw progress 
through flight testing, motor demonstrations, 
production milestones and propellant disposal. 

In tactical systems, solid rockets continue 
to dominate. The Standard Missile-6 de- 
stroyed a supersonic missile target and a long- 
range cruise missile target in July. The SM-3 
Block IB program launched from the new Ae- 
gis Ashore weapon system in May. The Ray- 
theon SM-3 and SM-6 both use Aerojet Rock- 
etdyne first- and second-stage motors and an 
ATK dual-pulse third stage for the SM-3. 

Lockheed Martin began production of the 
Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Seg- 
ment Enhancement motor, which uses an 
Aerojet Rocketdyne dual-pulse motor. MBDA 
dual-mode Brimstone air-to-surface missiles 
powered by Roxel motors scored nine direct 
hits in challenging scenarios in March and then 
demonstrated the ability to destroy a marine at- 
tack craft in a cluttered environment in July. 

Milestones were reached with the produc- 
tion of the 3,000th Tomahawk Block 4 motor 
and the 2000th Griffin missile, which each use 
an Aerojet Rocketdyne booster, and delivery 
of the first Block 2 variant of the Rolling Air- 
frame Missile, which uses an ATK booster. 

In the strategic systems area, the Trident 
2 D5 ballistic missile made its 130th flight 
test in June. The D5 uses ATK-produced 
first, second and third stages and, from Aero- 
jet Rocketdyne, a post-boost control system 
and nozzle fairing jettison motors. In Febru- 
ary, Aerojet Rocketdyne demonstrated, at 
simulated altitude, a large (92-inch diameter) 
second-stage motor using affordable materials 
and subsystems for the U.S. Air Force. 

The launch systems area also saw signifi- 
cant progress this year. Arianespace’s Vega 



launch system, utilizing three Avio-manu- 
factured solid stages, made its third flight in 
April. The Ariane 5 launcher, using two solid 
boosters built by Herakles (part of the French 
Safran group), completed its 60th mission. In 
August, Aerojet Rocketdyne demonstrated the 
Low Earth Orbiting Nanosatellite Integrated 
Defense Autonomous System, or LEONIDAS, 
first-stage motor (LEO-46), part of the SPARK 

— Spaceborne Payload Assist Rocket-Kauai 

— launch system designed to place miniatur- 
ized satellites into low-Earth and sun-synchro- 
nous orbits. 

ATK’s GEM-40 (3) and GEM-60 (4) motors 
continued to support U.S. Delta 2 and Delta 4 
launches for NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observa- 
tory-2 and next-generation GPS-2F satellites. In 
addition, ATK retro-motors (eight per launch) 
supported two Atlas 3 rocket launches. 

The first flight test of the Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory’s Low-Density Supersonic Decel- 
erator was launched in June from the Pacific 
Missile Range Facility in Hawaii. ATK’s off- 
loaded STAR 48B rocket motor provided 
the propulsion for the 
balloon launch, which 
carried the test vehicle 
from an altitude of about 

120.000 feet to over 

180.000 feet. The flight 
test was designed to sim- 
ulate the low pressure 
and punishing speeds 
experienced by payloads 
dropped into the Mar- 
tian atmosphere. ATK 
and NASA also tested a 
proof-of-concept STAR 

48GXV motor using new case and nozzle 
technologies for the Solar Probe Plus mis- 
sion, which will enter the sun’s atmosphere 
to study the streams of charged particles the 
sun hurls into space. 

ATK’s CASTOR 30B upper-stage solid 
rocket motor flew two payloads on Orbital 
Science’s Antares I rocket to the Interna- 
tional Space Station. Future flights will use the 
newly qualified CASTOR 30XL SRM, which 
will provide increased payload capability. 

In the area of rocket motor disposal, 
Herakles has built a new facility capable of 
destroying 300 metric tons of the solid pro- 
pellant oxidizer ammonium perchlorate. The 
facility is based on the Herakles patented pro- 
cess that uses bacteria to transform the ammo- 
nium perchlorate into nitrogen and chloride 
and provides an environmentally responsible 
approach for propellant disposal. A 


Solid rockets 
score in 
tests , reach 
milestones 

by Rob Black, Clyde Carr, 
Mark Langhenry and 
Barbara Leary 

The Solid Rockets Technical 
Committee works to advance 
the art :, science and 
engineering of solid rocket 
propulsion , and to foster 
dissemination of new 
knowledge in this field. 


Static test of Aerojet Rocketdyne's 
LEONIDAS first-stage motor (LEO-46). 



Aerojet Rocketdyne 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 65 



SPACE AND MISSILES 


With aid of 
Dragon, a busy 
year for life 
sciences 

by Joe Chambliss 

The Life Sciences and 
Systems Technical Committee 

advances technologies 
required to keep people 
healthy and safe as they 
explore space. 



NASA's Atmosphere Revitalization 
Systems test chamber is readied 
for integrated testing. 


NASA 


Expedition 39 flight engineer and 
NASA astronaut Steve Swanson 
activates the Veggie plant growth 
system and Veg-01 experiment in 
the ISS in May. 


T he life sciences and systems community 
is actively conducting aerospace-related 
efforts focused on enabling human explora- 
tion of space. 

Members worked with the American So- 
ciety for Gravitational and Space Research to 
educate Congress about several issues regard- 
ing life and physical science research. 

The T-Cell Activation in Aging experi- 
ment, also known as NIHla for its sponsor 
the National Institutes of Health, was returned 
to Earth in May aboard a SpaceX Dragon 
capsule after a month in orbit. The payload, 
developed by Kayser Italia for the European 
Space Agency, investigated the diminishment 
of T-cell activation in astronauts related to 
aging. The experiment was refurbished and 
scheduled to be delivered to the station again 
on the SpaceX-5 mission in December. 

The Italian Space Agency, ESA and NASA 
have completed an accommodation study to 
ensure that the space station’s Advanced Re- 
sistive Exercise Device, an exercise machine 
for ISS astronauts, can be connected to a sys- 
tem called ELITE for the Elaboratore Immagini 
Televisive, which records the movements of 
astronauts. 

The CELLBOX experiment has been de- 
livered to NanoTacks LCC of Webster, Texas. 

An important set of experiments are in 
preparation for the ESA’s Italian astronaut Sa- 
mantha Cristoforetti. 

In August, NASA completed a closed 
chamber test at the Marshall Space Flight 
Center to demonstrate operation of the ISS- 
derived Atmosphere Revitalization Systems 

life support equipment in evolved configura- 
tions for the purpose of increasing reliability, 
reducing mass and improving performance. 
Preliminary results included an increased re- 
liability of the Oxygen Generation Assembly 
and reduced system weight, and operational 
changes show that the Carbon Dioxide Re- 
moval Assembly can reduce cabin C02 lev- 
els to a partial pressure of 2 Torr for a four- 
person crew, compared with the ISS baseline 
of 3.8 Torr, with configuration and minimum 
material changes. An advanced Trace Con- 
taminant Control configuration demonstrated 
the ability to reduce contaminants such as 
Siloxanes in water condensate to potentially 
improve performance and longevity of water 
processor components. The final phase of 
the test consisted of installing development 
environmental monitoring equipment from 
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab into the E-cham- 
ber at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, 
exposing them to elevated levels of selected 


66 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


contaminates and comparing results to labora- 
tory standard equipment. The tests were sup- 
ported by NASA Ames, the Glenn Research 
Center, JPL, the Johnson Space Center and the 
Kennedy Space Center. 

The Advanced Exploration Systems Water 
Recovery Project made advances in develop- 
ment of water processing technologies for 
exploration including testing and design of 
the Cascade Distillation System — CDS — urine 
processor prototype 2.0 through preliminary 
design review, development of less toxic or 
green urine pre-treatment, design of a urine 
brine processor and research into the use of 
silver as a biocide. The team also completed 
manufacturing a thermoelectric heat pump 
for the CDS. The heat pump provides heat- 
ing and cooling for the multistage evaporation 
and condensation process that the CDS uses 
to recover purified water from wastewater. 

The Inspiration Mars concept to send 
two people on a free-return trajectory around 
Mars in 301 days ran into political realities of 
approval on Capitol Hill. This has pushed the 
mission to adopt a later launch opportunity 
that stretches the mission duration to 380 days 
and includes flybys of both Mars and Venus. 
The 15 percent increase in mission duration 
makes the Life Support System task even 
more challenging but still achievable utilizing 
the existing system architecture and technolo- 
gies. The IM Life Support technology test bed 
at Paragon Space Development Corp. was 
brought online and all primary Inspiration 
Mars regenerative life support technologies 
completed one week of bench-top testing to 
verify performance and readiness to conduct 
follow-on integrated long-term testing. 

As a result of equipment delivered by 
April’s SpaceX-3 Dragon flight, the ISS’s pow- 
ered locker locations have been increased 
from two to six, and the cold stowage team 
at NASA Johnson provided a 180 percent in- 
crease in the amount of temperature-sensitive 
science achievable on the station. 

The Unmanned Pressure Integrated Suit 
Test team completed a test series of varying 
configurations and pressures with the develop- 
ment Orion air revitalization loop and Modified 
Advanced Crew Escape Suits. 

The Orion Environmental Control and 
Life Support System/Suit Intermediate Pres- 
sure Suit Test was completed as part of a 
series of manned Orion suit loop tests, the 
first full closed loop test series done since 
Apollo. The tests incorporated suits modified 
for Orion launch and entry, as well as new 
Orion systems. A 


TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


R esearch on the International Space Station 
delivered exciting results this year. In the 
Combustion Integrated Rack, scientists work- 
ing on the Flame Extinguishment or FLEX ex- 
periment concluded a study on the efficacy of 
suppressant gases used in spacecraft and on 
the flammability limits in different normoxic 
atmospheres. The experiment showed the Lim- 
iting Oxygen Index (LOI — i.e., the minimum 
02 level necessary to sustain a flame) could 
be as low as 12 percent for oxygen-nitrogen 
atmospheres and even dramatically lower, at 7 
percent, for an 02/N2 atmosphere diluted with 
xenon. FLEX-2 extended the scientific scope 
of FLEX by examining the burning character- 
istics of reference fuels for measuring engine 
efficiencies; the behavior of fuel mixtures with 
highly disparate volatilities; the interactions of 
fuel droplets for developing enhanced spray 
combustion theories; and sooting formation 
and transport with different fuels. 

A flammability experiment performed in 
the ISS Microgravity Science Glovebox, the 
Burning and Suppression of Solids experi- 
ment utilized ISS nitrogen to vitiate the atmo- 
sphere within the glovebox, discovering the 
skewed nature of the oxygen-flow flamma- 
bility boundary of materials where the flame 
blowoff side of the boundary has a much 
more gradual slope than the steep quench- 
ing branch at very low flows. The minimum 
in the boundary occurs at oxygen levels be- 
low limits found in normal gravity flamma- 
bility screening tests. 

The Supercritical Water Mixture experi- 
ment, a precursor to anticipated high pres- 
sure combustion research, completed its 
fourth of six test sequences. This experiment 
is an international collaboration between 
NASA and CNES, the French Space Agency, 
designed to look at precipitation phenomena 
at near critical conditions. 

The Light Microscopy Module or LMM 
completed the Advanced Colloids Experi- 
ment-Ml that seeks a better understanding 
of product stability using depletion attraction. 
ACE-MI was a recipient of one of the “Most 
Compelling Results from the International 
Space Station in 2013” award. The LMM also 
ran ACE-M2, which is presently exploring the 
roles of gelation and phase separation at the 
microscopic level in driving the behavior of 
attractive colloidal systems. The ground-based 
version of the LMM tested thawed protein 
crystal samples that had been frozen at -80C. 
These will be used to grow protein crystals 
for the MacroMolecular Biophysics experi- 
ment and observe them using the LMM on 


the ISS, where gravitational effects like sedi- 
mentation have been reduced by a factor of a 
million. These samples will be compared with 
the same samples grown on Earth to confirm 


Physical 
sciences 
on the ISS 


models that tell scientists what and how to 
grow large protein crystals in space, enabling 
them to determine the protein structure us- 
ing x-ray diffraction when the crystals are re- 
turned to Earth. 

The Capillary Flow Experiment-2 kept 
crew members aboard the ISS busy with 17 
operations this year. This experiment contains 
a suite of hand-held modules with test cham- 
bers that vary in geometry. A high-resolution 
camera captures the capillary motion of the 
red-dyed silicon oil through these interior 
corners and gaps inside each test chamber. 


by Brian Motil 
and Michael Hicks 

The Microgravity and Space 
Processes Technical 
Committee encourages 
the advancement and public 
awareness of low- gravity 
studies in physics , materials , 
biological sciences , 
and related fields. 


Drainage tests, passive 
phase separation tests, 
and coalescence tests 
provide data during op- 
erations to guide theory 
development. Results of 
this research will verify 
and improve design 
codes for passive phase 
separators and fluid 
management devices. 

The Capillary Chan- 
nel Flow, CCF, experi- 
ment was operated in 
the Microgravity Science 
Glovebox. This joint ef- 
fort between teams in 
the U.S. and Germany 
investigates capillary 
flow through an open 
channel in microgravity 
under pressure-driven 
conditions in the inertia 
flow regime. 

Interfacial stability 
at high flow rates and 
passive two-phase sep- 
aration were the focus 
of operations in 2014. 
The CCF experiment 
developed two-phase 
separation regime 
maps by sweeping 
through a large param- 
eter space. Parameters 
such as liquid flow 
rate, gas flow rate, and 
the length of the open 
channel were identified 
to influence passive 
phase separation. A 



This sequence of 
images from the Cap- 
illary Channel Flow 
experiment in the ISS 
Microgravity Science 
Glovebox illustrates 
that phase separation 
in a wedged-shaped, 
open channel depends 
on the bubble size. 
The small bubbles 
(a) do not coalesce 
with the free surface. 
However, when 
the small bubbles 
coalesce with each 
other (b) a larger 
bubble forms which 
is able to coalesce 
with the free surface 
and exit the channel 
(c and d). 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 67 




DARPA 


SPACE AND MISSILES 


Missile 
technology 
made headlines 

by Darren Hayashi and 
the Missile Systems 
Technical Committee 

The Missile Systems 
Technical Committee 

focuses on technologies 
associated with the design , 
development operations , 
and utilization of strategic 
and tactical missile systems. 


M issile technology was often at the fore- 
front of world events in 2014, from the 
destruction of Malaysia Airlines flight 17 over 
Ukraine by what was most likely an SA-11 
surface-to-air missile to Israel’s Iron Dome de- 
fense system that countered rocket and mor- 
tar attacks launched from the Gaza Strip. 

Anti-ship missile development remained a 
priority. Led by the U.S. Defense Advanced 
Research Projects Agency and Office of Na- 
val Research, the Long Range Anti-Ship 
Missile completed two demonstrations with 
another planned for December. LRASM lever- 
ages Lockheed Martin’s Joint Air-to-Surface 
Standoff Missile-Extended Range but adds a 
multimode sensor to locate and identify ship 
targets, an altimeter for low-altitude sea-skim- 
ming and a data link for in-flight updates. 
LRASM is being developed for rapid deploy- 
ment by the Air Force and Navy. 



Long Range Anti-Ship Missile. 

Norway’s Kongsberg tested its Naval 
Strike Missile anti-ship weapon at the Rim 
of the Pacific naval exercises in July and dur- 
ing a launch from a U.S. Navy littoral combat 
ship in September. An air-launched version, 
called the Joint Strike Missile and compatible 
with the F-35’s internal weapons bays, is also 
in development with Raytheon. 

Other surface attack successes include 
16 launches of the Lockheed Martin Direct 
Attack Guided Rocket from an AH-64D he- 
licopter at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. 
DAGR adds a laser-guidance kit to Hydra 70 
rockets for precision engagement of soft or 
lightly armored targets. DAGRs can be fired 
in rapid succession at different targets using 
multiple laser designators. 

In air defense, the U.S. Army achieved 


the first intercept of a cruise missile and un- 
manned aerial system using Raytheon’s Ac- 
celerated Improved Intercept Initiative mis- 
sile. AI3 missiles used a semi-active seeker 
to intercept both targets at low altitude in a 
high-clutter marine environment. AI3 is part 
of a mobile, ground-based weapon system 
designed to acquire, track, engage and defeat 
unmanned aircraft, cruise missiles, rockets, ar- 
tillery and mortars. 

The U.S. Navy strengthened its ship de- 
fenses with its acceptance of the Rolling Air- 
frame Missile Block 2 in August. Produced by 
Raytheon in the U.S. and RAMSys of Germany, 
RAM defends against anti-ship cruise missiles, 
helicopter and airborne threats, and surface 
craft. Block 2 introduces a new rocket motor, 
redesigned control system and evolved radio 
frequency receiver to increase range and ma- 
neuverability. 

In ballistic missile defense, the U.S. Mis- 
sile Defense Agency conducted the first flight 
of Raytheon’s Standard Missile-3 Block IB 

from the Aegis Ashore system in May. The 
test confirmed functionality of launching and 
targeting the land-based SM-3 missile against 
a simulated target. The first European Aegis 
Ashore site is to be operational in 2013. 

The Ground-based Midcourse Defense 
system conducted a sophisticated BMD test in 
June. The GMD fire control received targeting 
data from a U.S. Navy destroyer that detected 
and tracked a ballistic missile target launched 
from the western Pacific. The target was de- 
stroyed after Army soldiers at Schriever Air 
Force Base in Colorado remotely launched an 
interceptor from Vandenberg Air Force Base 
in California that propelled a second-genera- 
tion Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle into space. 
The EKV maneuvered to identify, intercept 
and destroy the warhead with direct impact. 

Internationally, Rafael’s Iron Dome system 
recorded a success rate exceeding 90 percent 
while intercepting over 300 rockets during 
the Israel-Gaza conflict. Israel continues de- 
ploying a layered defense that includes Iron 
Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow. The latest Ar- 
row 3 interceptor engages ballistic missiles at 
high altitudes and completed its second flight 
in January. 

Other technology research intends to im- 
prove mission adaptability and lower cost. 
Both the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory 
and U.S. Naval Air Systems Command are 
exploring flexible weapon concepts empha- 
sizing modularity, open architectures and 
standard interfaces to accommodate new 
technologies and mission requirements. A 


68 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 



TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


Programme-Space, with two space architec- 
ture companies (out of seven partners) as 
main contributors: Liquifer Systems Group of 
Austria and Space Innovations of the Czech 
Republic. 

Despite not being selected for NASA’s Com- 
mercial Crew Program, Sierra Nevada continues 
work on its winged, lifting-body Dream Chaser 
spacecraft, and returns to the age-old problem 
of size and launch mass. Interior architectural 
designs surrounding crew systems include in- 
novative seating for four crewmembers and 
cargo stowage are under development. Inte- 
grating human factors with operations such 
as nominal and emergency ingress and egress 
poses complex and novel spatial design prob- 
lems, and a challenge for space architects and 
designers. 

A research challenge was presented to 
students at Vienna University of Technology 
with the MASH project, which resulted in a 
concept for 
a deployable 
and portable 
emergency 
shelter for use 
on Mars. This 
academic ex- 
perience was 
carried out in 
one of the few 
universities that 
offer studio- 
based practices 

and is an example of how central education gS '. n ^ ^. e P e [j™ eter 

1 of an inflatable habitat, 

is for space architecture to be ready for Mars. 

Creative thinking and innovative practice 
in the context of education allows for the re- 
newal of space architecture and industrial de- 
sign and guarantees the continuity of a held 
that has been in progressive development for 
the last 20 years. A 



Water Walls air revitalization 


Building toward 
sustainable 
living in space 

by Maria Joao Durao, 
Barbara Imhof, 

Don Barker 
and Mark Kerr 

The Space Architecture 
Technical Committee 

focuses on the architectural 
design of the environments 
where humans will Live 
and work in space , including 
facilities , habitats 
and vehicles. 


SHEE Consortium, Self-Deployable 
Habitat for Extreme Environments 
manufacturing. 


In Europe, a 

Self-Deployable 
Habitat for Extreme 
Environments is 

under construction. 
This three-year proj- 
ect will conclude 
in 2015. It is being 
developed under a 
contract awarded 
through the Euro- 
pean Commission’s 
Seventh Framework 



U ^Tphresholds of Space,” a retrospective 

Ji exhibition of work by David Nixon, 
one of space architecture’s most prominent 
figures, was launched in Prague, Czech Re- 
public, in late 2013 and is traveling to London 
in 2015-2016. Spanning a period from 1982 to 
2012, Nixon’s work reveals the trajectory that 
space architecture developed as a profession, 
and “Thresholds of Space” is a milestone in 
the history of space architecture exhibitions. 

With NASA Innovative and Advanced Con- 
cept funding, Water Walls was launched as a 
space architecture concept. Led by Astrotec- 
ture, the team aims to provide a life-support 
system that is biologically and chemically pas- 
sive, based on highly reliable forward osmo- 
sis processes. The Water Walls would process 
urine and wash water, process air to remove 
carbon dioxide, and grow food using green 
algae, all while protecting crews from the 
harmful radiation of space. A system of Water 
Walls bags, including all the subsystems and 
their various component bag types, can be in- 
stalled into a full-featured space habitat. 

Another project that promotes sustain- 
able living in space is the Veggie Vegetable 
Production Unit. Orbital Technologies Corp. 
has been awarded NASA contracts to support 
the development and flight of this deployable 
growth unit designed to produce fresh vege- 
tables on the International Space Station. Eas- 
ily stowable, it consists of a plant cultivation 
device that provides lighting and nutrient sup- 
ply for a growing area of 0.17 square meters. 

Significant architectural work has been car- 
ried out at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory 
by the Exploration Systems Concepts Group 
of the Mission Systems Concepts Section. The 
initiative is to develop workstation and rack 
and standoff designs for deep space habitats. 
Parts of the design were tested in cooperation 
with the NASA Desert RATS — Research and 
Technology Studies — 
in missions between 
2010 and 2012. 


University of Tartu 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 69 


Francois Levy 




SPACE AND MISSILES 


ISS tools , space 
exploration 
show robotics 
progress 

by Kate Stambaugh, 
Gregory P. Scott 
and David Spangler 

The Space Automation 
and Robotics Technical 
Committee works to 
advance the development 
of these technologies 
and their applications 
to space programs. 


D evelopments in space automation and ro- 
botics this year range from experiments in 
orbit, to rovers on the Moon and Mars, to future 
missions still in development. The following 
highlights represent a small fraction of the latest 
work in this multidisciplinary field. 

In July, NASA launched a Project Tango 
prototype Android smartphone to the Inter- 
national Space Station as an upgrade to the 
Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient 
Experimental Satellites, or SPHERES, which 
are bowling-ball-sized robotics that operate 
inside the station. The Tango phone, which 
was created by Google’s Advanced Technol- 
ogy and Projects division, is capable of 3-D 
mapping and tracking its own position and 
orientation in real time. The upgraded robots, 
called Smart SPHERES, could perform a va- 
riety of activities inside the station, including 
interior environmental surveys, inventory and 
mobile camera work. 


Smart SPHERES are 
Synchronized Position 
Hold, Engage, Reorient 
Experimental Satellites 
equipped with Google's 
Project Tango smartphone. 



Robonaut 2, the 

humanoid robot that 
has been on board the 
ISS since 2011, received 
a pair of legs this year. 
While the torso uses a 
humanoid form factor, 
the legs offer more de- 
grees of freedom than 
human legs to allow 
for increased flexibility 
in Robonaut 2’s activi- 
ties. The legs can oper- 
ate both internally and 
externally to the sta- 
tion, although the torso 
will require upgrades before it can be used ex- 
ternally. Back on Earth, technologies developed 
for the legs have also been transitioned into 
NASA’s XI Robotic Exoskeleton, which has ap- 



CNSA/ChinaNews/Ken Kremer/Marco Di Lorenzo 

70 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


plications for strength augmentation and physi- 
cal therapy in space as well as on the ground. 

Building on their ISS demonstrations, 
the team behind NASA’s Robotic Refueling 
Mission continues to makes strides in on- 
orbit fuel transfer. In orbit, the tests have 
used liquid ethanol, a safe stand-in for nor- 
mal satellite fuel. This year the ground team 
performed the Remote Robotic Oxidizer 
Transfer Test, which used the hazardous and 
corrosive oxidizer of real propellant. These 
ground tests included the transfer of nitrogen 
tetroxide at a confined test facility at NASA’s 
Kennedy Space Center in Florida while being 
controlled by robot operators at the Goddard 
Space Flight Center in Maryland. 

For geosynchronous orbit, DARPA contin- 
ues to push developments in orbital robotics 
for improved satellite servicing. The servicing 
and proximity operations technologies needed 
for the program have the potential to extend 
the lives and lower the cost of space missions. 
DARPA is emphasizing three servicing capa- 
bilities: high-resolution cooperative inspection, 
including difficult-to-reach locations; orbit ad- 
justment assistance, to add flexibility to geo- 
synchronous fleet operations; and mechanical 
assistance with deployment anomalies. 

On Aug. 3, NASA’s Curiosity rover marked 
its second anniversary on Mars. The rover 
continues to traverse the surface and search 
for signs of conditions that might support life, 
and it has found more evidence of past wa- 
ter on Mars near Gale Crater. The rover con- 
tinues to study the surface and has reached 
Mount Sharp, its destination since landing. 

This year marks the 10th anniversary of 
the Mars Exploration Rover mission. With an 
odometer reading over 23 miles, the Oppor- 
tunity rover has broken the record for the 
longest distance traveled on an extraterrestrial 
surface. The Soviet Union’s Lunokhod 2 lunar 
rover previously held the record at 24.2 miles. 
The Opportunity rover continues to perform 
science on the surface of Mars today. 

A new player has entered the scene of 
planetary surface robotics. In December 2013, 
the Chinese Chang’e 3 spacecraft landed on 
the Moon and released a small rover called 
Yutu, or “jade Rabbit.” The rover drove 
about 110 meters before becoming immobile 
in late January, but continued to perform sci- 
ence operations while stationary. The science 
payload on board Yutu included a ground- 
penetrating radar, two spectrometers and 
several cameras. The mission lasted about 
six months and was the first soft landing and 
roving mission to the Moon since 1976. A 


TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


T his year saw continued efforts toward 
expanding human economy throughout 
cislunar space. While there is still no clear 
development or unified planning of inte- 
grated infrastructure components to enable 
future space settlement, small steps are be- 
ing made toward that big goal. 

The International Space Station continues 
to be the primary focus of commercialization. 
Cargo deliveries in the past year included two 
flights by the SpaceX Dragon and two by the 
Orbital Sciences Cygnus vehicle under the 
Commercial Resupply Services contracts. A 
third Cygnus resupply mission failed in Oc- 
tober when the Antares launcher exploded 
shortly after liftoff. NASA has issued a prelimi- 
nary request for proposals for continuation of 
commercial cargo deliveries through CRS2. 

In September, NASA announced that it 
had awarded Commercial Crew contracts to 
SpaceX and Boeing for the next phase of ve- 
hicle development through initial flights start- 
ing in 2017. SpaceX is offering a crewed ver- 
sion of the Dragon cargo vehicle and Boeing 
is developing its CST-100 capsule. Sierra Ne- 
vada, which offered its Dream Chaser winged 
vehicle, was not selected for the program, but 
the company intends to continue develop- 
ment of the vehicle. 

Management of ISS as a National Labora- 
tory by the Center for the Advancement of Sci- 
ence in Space, or CASIS, is yielding impressive 
research results. For example, the capability to 
crystallize proteins in weightlessness reveals pre- 
viously unknown protein structural features, en- 
abling development of new dmgs, at least one 
of which is now in testing. A rodent research 
facility will initially enable studies for 30 to 60 
days, and eventually 180 days with either mice 
or rats. Research from this facility is expected to 
include studies of disease, 
testing of drugs, and bet- 
ter understanding of bone 
and muscle loss in space. 

The Hyperspectral Imager 
for the Coastal Ocean has 
demonstrated clear imag- 
ing of algae blooms, which 
aids understanding of envi- 
ronmental effects on water 
quality. Long-term experi- 
ence in space enabled by 
CASIS can lead to the prod- 
ucts that will eventually 
show how to make profits 
by manufacturing in space, 
a prerequisite to large-scale 
habitation. 


Direct progress toward space manufac- 
turing is being accomplished by Made In 
Space Inc. with the creation of a 3-D printer 
that arrived on ISS in September. The com- 
pany recognizes this is just a first step, with 
plans being developed for a permanent Ad- 
ditive Manufacturing Facility on ISS. 

Another possible path toward space com- 
merce is suggested by a DARPA request for 
information on development of robotic ser- 
vicers for spacecraft inspection and reloca- 
tion in and near geosynchronous Earth orbit. 
The agency is trying to learn whether com- 
mercial on-orbit satellite servicing could be- 
come financially self-sustaining. 

Interest in space solar power continues 
to grow. The U.S. Department of Energy’s 
website, for example, featured a “Space 
Week” with the message that “solar power 
directly from space may arrive sooner than 
you think.” Conferences brought experts to- 
gether several times during the year, with 
strong interest in Japan and China. A book 
by John Mankins, “The Case for Space Solar 
Power,” suggests a roadmap for operational 
solar power satellites within 20 years, driven 
by a business model and recognizing that 
the timeline will be flexible. 

Also newly published is “Space Elevators: 
An Assessment of the Technological Feasibil- 
ity and the Way Forward,” resulting from a 
study by the International Academy of As- 
tronautics. The goal is more affordable ac- 
cess to space. The book acknowledges that 
the biggest challenge is a producible material 
with “strength, length and perfection needed 
to enable a 100,000km long tether. Almost 
all other issues . . . have either been resolved 
in space before or are close to being space 
ready today.” A 


Made In Space's zero-gravity 
3-D printer. 



Small steps 
toward space 
commerce 

by Anita Gale, Ron Kohl 
and Mike Snyder 

The Space Colonization 
Technical Committee 

promotes the development 
of advanced concepts, science , 
and technology to enable 
and enhance permanent 
human presence in space. 



Made In Space 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 71 



SPACE AND MISSILES 


A year of space 

operations 

milestones 

by Michael Squire 

The Space Operations 
and Support Technical 
Committee focuses 
on operations and relevant 
technology developments 
for manned and unmanned 
missions in Earth orbital 
and planetary operations. 


European Space Agency 



O n Jan. 20, controllers in Darmstadt, Ger- 
many, received a signal from the Rosetta 
spacecraft — a “yawn” that told European Space 
Agency controllers that Rosetta had awoken 
after a 957-day hibernation and was ready for 
the final leg of a journey to the comet Churyu- 
mov-Gerasimenko. Rosetta arrived Aug. 6 and 
is now safely in orbit around the comet, which 
the spacecraft will accompany as it passes 
near the sun next year. On Nov. 12, Rosetta 
deployed the Philae lander, which became the 
first spacecraft to soft-land on a comet. 

Another comet, Siding Spring, created a 
stir in October when it approached within 
135,000 kilometers of Mars. Since the comet’s 
trail of particles posed a debris hazard, the 
various spacecraft orbiting Mars were maneu- 
vered so they could use the planet as a shield. 
Two of those Mars orbiters had just arrived 
in September. One was the Mars Atmosphere 
and Volatile Evolution spacecraft — NASA’s 
mission to explore the planet’s upper atmo- 
sphere, ionosphere, and interactions with the 
sun and solar wind. Arriving three days after 
MAVEN was India’s first interplanetary mis- 
sion, the Mars Orbiter Mission. 

Down on the surface, the exploration rover 
Opportunity marked its 10th anniversary on 
Mars in January. Sporting solar panels scrubbed 
clean by Martian winds, which allowed more 
energy intake from the sun, Opportunity broke 
the off-Earth driving distance record when it 
passed the 40-kilometer mark on July 27. This 
broke the record held since 1973 by the Soviet 
Lunokhod 2, prompting the Opportunity team 
to name a nearby crater Lunokhod 2 as a sa- 
lute. On the opposite side of the planet, the 
Mars science laboratory rover Curiosity contin- 
ued its mission as well. Due to accumulating 
damage to Curiosity’s wheels, controllers have 
had to modify its driving routine to find a path 
with the smoothest terrain possible. 

A milestone was 
passed on a far side of 
the solar system when 
the New Horizons 
spacecraft crossed 
Neptune’s orbit on its 
way to next year’s ren- 
dezvous with Pluto. 
This crossing occurred 
on the 25th anniver- 
sary of Voyager 2’s en- 
counter with Neptune, 
the only previous visit 
to the planet. New 
Horizon was launched 
in January 2006. 



NASA 


Closer to home, NASA’s Lunar Atmosphere 
and Dust Environment Explorer, known as 
LADEE, ended its mission as planned on April 
17 with an impact on the lunar surface. Con- 
trollers worked quickly to gather and down- 
load unique low-altitude science data as the 
spacecraft descended to just above the sur- 
face prior to the final collision. The Chinese 
had a softer landing on the Moon with their 
Chang’e 3 spacecraft on Dec. 2, 2013, which 
delivered the first Chinese lunar rover, Yutu. 
Yutu drove around on the Moon’s surface 
gathering data until the end of January when 
malfunctions brought it to a halt. 

In Earth orbit, Planet Labs’ flock of 28 
Earth-imaging CubeSats, which the company 
calls “doves,” was deployed from the Interna- 
tional Space Station in February. Lithuania’s 
first two satellites were also CubeSats and also 
deployed from ISS. Peru, Iraq and Uruguay all 
had CubeSats as their countries’ first satellites 
this year. Bolivia’s first was a more traditional- 
sized communications satellite. 

Commercial resupply of ISS continued 
to grow this year with the first two resup- 
ply missions by Orbital Sciences’ Cygnus 
spacecraft. Unfortunately, the third Cygnus 
mission was lost in October with the fail- 
ure of the Antares launch vehicle seconds 
after liftoff. Nevertheless, by the end of the 
year, Cygnus and SpaceX’s Dragon will have 
transported approximately 20 percent of the 
total cargo delivered to ISS in 2014. ISS also 
had its first commander who was neither 
American nor Russian this year when Koichi 
Wakata became the inaugural Japanese ISS 
expedition commander. A 


72 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 



TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


A long with lunar, planetary and asteroid 
scientists, space resource advocates are 
conceiving new exploration approaches and 
advanced technology concepts under a para- 
digm in which scientific advancement helps 
to identify resources, and resources enable 
scientific exploration. 

NASA’s Life in the Atacama, or LITA, 
team is making plans to return to the Chilean 
desert in 2015 to conduct more tests of sam- 
ple-collection technologies. In 2013, Honey- 
bee Robotics deployed a fully robotic 1 -me- 
ter-long drill in the Atacama on a Carnegie 
Mellon University-designed rover called Zoe. 
The 10-kilogram LITA drill captured samples 
from target depths and delivered them to a 
carousel for analysis by instruments that in- 
cluded a Raman spectrometer. In 2014, Hon- 
eybee also tested the LITA drill in the Mojave 
Desert. LITA is part of NASA’s Astrobiology 
Science and Technology for Exploring Plan- 
ets program. 

Deltion Innovations Ltd., a maker of space 
mining equipment, moved from a location in 
Sudbury, Ontario, to a newly acquired 28,000- 
square-foot facility located approximately 30 
kilometers away in Capreol, Ontario. This 
move will allow the company to expand its 
labor force as the need arises over the next 
couple of years. 

Deltion and the Colorado School of 
Mines are planning the May 2015 Planetary 
and Terrestrial Mining Sciences Symposium/ 
Space Resources Roundtable in conjunction 
with the Canadian Institute of Mining Annual 
Convention, with the intention of promot- 
ing space resource utilization to the terres- 
trial mining industry. The institute has over 
14,000 members from all sectors of the min- 
ing and petroleum industries. 

Researchers from the Center for Space 
Exploration Technologies Research at the 
University of Texas at El Paso investigated 
extracting water from lunar polar regolith 
using a concept, proposed by ExoTerra Re- 
source, involving beaming power from so- 
lar concentrators to regolith in shadowed 
craters. The researchers developed regolith 
heat-transfer models and validated their 
modeling using laser beams to simulate con- 
centrated solar power. 

Planetary Resources Inc.’s demonstration 
satellite, Arkyd 3, was among the payloads 
destroyed when an Antares rocket failed in 
October. The plan was to deploy the satel- 
lite from the International Space Station’s 
Japanese airlock to test avionics and failure 
points for PRI’s Kickstarter-funded Arkyd tele- 


scope, which the company describes as the 
“first publicly accessible space telescope.” 
PRI said on its website that it will “live to fly 
another day” and continue work on its next 
test satellite, Arkyd 6. PRI also signed a Space 
Act Agreement with NASA to create a crowd- 
sourced algorithm challenge called Asteroid 
Data Hunters, and partnered with Zooniverse 
to launch Asteroid Zoo, a web-based asteroid 
detection challenge. 

At NASA’s Glenn Research Center, the 
Mars Atmospheric Chemistry System was 

improved to add low-temperature capability, 
complementing the high-fidelity simulation 
of Mars atmosphere composition, dust, and 
pressure environment for in situ resource uti- 
lization component testing. The Glenn VF-13 
facility commissioned a removable cold wall, 
in addition to the cryogenic soil bin, making 
it the largest available dirty thermal-vacuum 
facility. This year, hardware concepts and in- 
strumentation for subsurface soil extraction 
and volatile retention were tested in lunar 
thermal/vacuum environment. 

Members of the Space Resources Tech- 
nical Committee engaged in outreach and 
unfunded, interest-driven technol- 
ogy development. Matthew Cross, 
a Ph.D. student at the University of 
Western Ontario, led preschoolers 
to demonstrate lunar impact crater- 
ing and lunar resource mining using 
flour as regolith, golf balls as mete- 
ors and marshmallows as buried re- 
sources. Doug Plata, author of the 
Cis-lunar One plan for sustainable 
space development, performed a 
demonstration of hydrogen-oxygen 
propellant production from a soil/ 
water mixture based on moisture ra- 
tios measured by LCROSS — the Lu- 
nar Crater Observation and Sensing 
Satellite — plus microwave water ex- 
traction and electrolysis reactant sep- 
arations. Representing NASA Glenn, 

I presented concepts for propellant 
production using Mars atmosphere and water 
resources to a statewide Ohio STEM program 
emphasizing innovation and entrepreneurism 
among high school students. 

Committee members participated in 
in-situ-resource-utilization-related updates to 
the 2011 NASA Office of Chief Technologist 
Technology Roadmaps. The roadmaps help 
organize the broad spectrum of technology 
development investment options to enable 
and enhance more affordable human and ro- 
botic exploration of space. A 


Crowd-funding, 
tool tests to 
clearway for 
space resource 
collection 

by Kurt Sacksteder 

The Space Resources 
Technical Committee 

advocates affordable , 
sustainable human space 
exploration using 
non-terrestrial natural 
resources to supply 
propulsion , power, 
life-support consumables 
and manufacturing materials. 


Carnegie Mellon's Zoe rover. 



LITA drills in the Atacama Desert. 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 73 


SPACE AND MISSILES 



Large and small 
systems make 
progress 

by Samantha Infeld 

The Space Systems 
Technical Committee 

fosters the development , 
application , and operation 
of space systems and 
addresses emerging issues 
in the area. 


S pace system launches and announce- 
ments this year were increasingly about 
small and commercial systems, including a 
constellation of CubeSats. But there were 
also major tests completed of NASA’s Orion 
spacecraft, part of the Space Launch System 
for human exploration beyond Earth orbit 
and backup transportation to the Interna- 
tional Space Station. 

Coming into 2014 many were follow- 
ing the progress of the Chinese Yutu rover 
after its landing on the moon in December 
2013, when just before it entered its second 
lunar night on Jan. 23 it failed to fold its so- 
lar panel down properly after hitting a rock. 
This configuration left its sensitive electron- 
ics exposed to the cold and it was thought 
the rover would not wake up again. But the 
rover came back online in February and sent 
back data for months as its instruments con- 
tinued to degrade while Yutu managed to 
survive successive lunar nights. 


In February and March, Planet Labs' Flock 
1 of 28 CubeSats, the world’s largest constella- 
tion of Earth-imaging satellites, launched from 
the ISS along with five other CubeSats in a 
record-breaking deployment. With subsequent 
launches, Planet Labs’ now has 71 CubeSats 
in orbit and the company is approaching the 
capability to image the entire Earth, every day. 

After months of testing and critical design 
reviews in 2014, NASA selected two compa- 
nies, Boeing and SpaceX, for its Commercial 
Crew Program to provide transportation to 
the ISS and low-Earth orbit. Boeing offered 
the CST-100 crew capsule and SpaceX pro- 
posed the Dragon v2, a crewed version of the 
Dragon cargo vehicle that has made several 
resupply missions to the ISS. 

The parachute system for NASA’s Orion 
deep-space vehicle was tested over Arizona in 
June following tests in January, and the largest 
heat shield ever constructed was installed on 
the Orion crew module at Kennedy Space Cen- 
ter in Florida. Then in August, ocean 
testing off California was completed 
in preparation for the first space flight 
test, scheduled for December. These 
engineering feats were accomplished 
in cooperation with several large and 
small companies, including prime 
contractor Lockheed Martin and Ana- 


lytical Mechanics Associates. 

In June, NASA selected propos- 
als for six-month studies to mature 
system concepts and assess the fea- 
sibility of potential commercial part- 
nerships to support the agency’s 
Asteroid Redirect Mission. Notably 
for space systems, Airborne Sys- 
tems, Jacobs, Altius Space Machines 
and Space Systems/Loral are carry- 
ing out the asteroid capture systems 
studies, while The Planetary Society, 
Planetary Resources, Applied Physics 
Laboratory, Honeybee Robotics and 
Deep Space Industries are develop- 
ing secondary payload possibilities. 

In August, The Planetary Society 
announced 2013 and 2016 launch 
dates for its LightSail-1 space- 
craft, a CubeSat to be launched by 
SpaceX. Also that month, the Euro- 
pean Space Agency’s Rosetta mission 
achieved a milestone by becoming 
the first spacecraft to rendezvous 
with a comet, 67P/Churyumov-Ger- 
asimenko. In November, Rosetta 
deployed the Philae robotic lander, 
which settled on the comet. A 


74 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


The Planetary Society 



TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


T he space tethers community has 
launched several tether modules and is 
preparing several spacecraft for upcoming 
launches. New technologies and mission 
concepts are being explored. 

Two Terminator Tape deorbiting mod- 
ules developed by Tethers Unlimited Inc. are 
scheduled to begin operating in 2015 to deor- 
bit their host CubeSats, which will have com- 
pleted their missions. Two larger Terminator 
Tape modules, sized for small microsatellites, 
were delivered to the Air Force Research 
Laboratory’s University Nanosatellite Program 
for use on two student-built satellites to be 
launched in 2016. Tethers Unlimited has also 
been selected to supply the end-of-life deor- 
bit solution for Surrey Satellite US’s Orbital 
Test Bed mission slated for launch in 2015. 



The Naval Research Laboratory's TEPCE 3U CubeSat. 


The Naval Research Laboratory is preparing 
for launch of a Tether Electrodynamics Propul- 
sion CubeSat Experiment spacecraft through 
the U.S. Air Force’s Satellite Test Program. With 
body-mounted solar cells and tungsten filament 
cathodes, TEPCE will demonstrate electrody- 
namic propulsion in low Earth orbit. TEPCE 
will be launched into an as-yet-unspecihed or- 
bit that will allow it to operate for many years 
providing extensive data on its electrodynamic 
propulsion system. 

Star Technology and Research and sub- 
contractors Tether Applications, the Naval 
Research Laboratory, and Boeing completed 
a two-year NASA technology-maturation con- 
tract for their ElectroDynamic Delivery Ex- 
press spacecraft. EDDE is being designed for 
propellantless orbit changes in low Earth orbit 
and can distribute microsat and nanosat pay- 
loads to widely-spaced multiple orbits from a 
single launch vehicle. Weighing 24 kilograms, 
Mini-EDDE is packaged into a 12U CubeSat 
format and has 1.6-kilowatt solar arrays pow- 
ering a 1.8-kilometer-long ribbon conductor. 

The Propulsion Using Electrodynamics 
PROPEL team — Tethers Unlimited, NASA Mar- 
shall, Northrop Grumman, Millennium Space 
Systems, Penn State and the University of Mich- 
igan — developed several implementation op- 


tions for PROPEL to demonstrate its versatility: 
A comprehensive mission design with a mission 
duration of six months; a space demonstration 
mission concept design with configuration of a 
pair of tethered satellites, one of which would 
be the Japanese H-2 Transfer Vehicle; or a sys- 
tem based on an Evolved Expendable Launch 
Vehicle Secondary Payload Adaptor. 

As part of NASA’s Innovative Advanced 
Concepts program, NASA’s Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory and UCLA are working on a con- 
cept called Comet Hitchhiker to hitch a ride 
on comets to tour around the solar system. A 
tethered spacecraft would accelerate or decel- 
erate itself without fuel by harvesting kinetic 
energy from a target body. 

Under a separate grant from the same pro- 
gram, Tethers Unlimited has begun work on 
a concept called WRANGLER for Weightless 
Rendezvous And Net Grapple to Limit Excess 
Rotation. A momentum-exchange tether tech- 
nique would be used to enable a small, light- 
weight nanosatellite to capture and de-spin a 
massive asteroid to reduce risk and costs for 
NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Mission as well as 
future asteroid-mining operations. A system 
called SPIDER, for Sensing 
and Positioning on Inclines 
and Deep Environments with 
Retrieval, is also being de- 
veloped for tether-facilitated 
sampling of asteroids via a 
deployment-and-retraction 
system. On another NIAC 
grant, the University of Wash- 
ington and Tethers Unlimited 
are exploring concepts for us- 
ing tethers to deliver a high- 
velocity impact sampler to 
small planetary bodies such 
as Ceres and then retrieve the 
resulting sub-surface samples. 

The University of Michigan continued to 
develop the Miniature Tether Electrodynam- 
ics Experiment, MiTEE, CubeSat demonstra- 
tion mission, which will demonstrate 10-me- 
ter electrodynamic tethers for drag make-up 
and boosting of femtosat-sized spacecraft us- 
ing less than 1 watt. A high-altitude balloon 
flight demonstrated MiTEE’s communication 
architecture. 

Saber Astronautics completed the second 
round of testing in Houston for its DragEn 
tether deployment system as part of NASA’s 
Flight Opportunities Program. Having already 
demonstrated deployment and rollout of the 
tether in zero gravity, testing focused on vari- 
ous friction-based deceleration strategies. A 


Tether modules 
launched, more 
spacecraft 
planned 

Sven G. Bilen 

The Space Tethers 
Technical Committee 

focuses on the development 
and use of tether-based 
technology for space systems. 



The WRANGLER system would 
use a thin, lightweight tether to 
enable a 10-kilogram nanosat 
to de-spin a 1 -million-kilogram 
asteroid. 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 75 


Tethers Unlimited 



SPACE AND MISSILES 


Active year for 
government, 
commercial 
launches 

by Jim Knauf and the 
Space Transportation 
Technical Committee 

The Space Transportation 
Technical Committee 

works to foster continuous 
improvements to civil , 
commercial and military 
launch vehicles . 


NASA Kennedy Space Center 


T he year saw a brisk worldwide launch 
pace, milestones for new government 
and commercial launchers, a U.S. commer- 
cial crew capability decision and advances 
on new launch sites. 

NASA completed a critical design review 
for the Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket 
to carry humans beyond Earth orbit and com- 
mitted to a $7 billion development program 
with initial flight scheduled in 2018. The 
agency’s Stennis Space Center began testing 
the modified space shuttle engine that will 
power the vehicle’s core stage. 

In September, NASA awarded contracts to 
Boeing and SpaceX for its Commercial Crew 
Program to develop a capability to deliver 
astronauts to the International Space Station. 
Boeing is developing the CST-100 capsule to 
be launched on Atlas 5 rockets, and SpaceX is 
producing the Dragon v2 capsule for its own 
Falcon 9 launcher. 



An Atlas 5 with RD-1 80 rocket 
engines built by the Russian 
company NPO Energomash. 


Manufacturing of Space Launch 
System flight hardware is 
underway at the Michoud 
Assembly Facility in Louisiana. 



Orbital Sciences flew two 
ISS resupply missions with 
its Antares launcher and 
Cygnus cargo spacecraft, 
and considered replacement 
of the booster’s modified 
Russian engines. A third mis- 
sion in October failed when 
the Antares launcher ex- 
ploded shortly after liftoff. 

SpaceX sustained an ac- 
tive Falcon 9 launch pace 
with three ISS cargo and 
four commercial satellite missions, and par- 
tially demonstrated a first stage soft ocean 
landing. The company completed vertical 
landing demonstrations with its Grasshop- 
per single-engine test vehicle. A subsequent 
three-engine vehicle was lost, but high-al- 
titude demonstration tests are planned for 
New Mexico’s Spaceport America. 

The U.S. Air Force’s Space and Missile 
Systems Center and NASA’s Launch Services 
Program continued intensive efforts to certify 
Falcon 9 for government missions. SMC con- 
ducted engineering integration for two low- 
risk Falcon 9 flights and held the first Evolved 
Expendable Launch Vehicle competitive ac- 
quisition since 2006. 

United Launch Alliance anticipated 13 
Atlas and Delta 4 launches, including a Delta 
4 Heavy with an uncrewed test of NASA’s 
Orion spacecraft, and one Delta 2 launch. 
Geopolitical events, including Western sanc- 
tions on Russia over events in Ukraine, high- 
lighted U.S. dependence on Russian RD-180 
engines for Atlas. There was no disruption to 


engine deliveries, but the U.S. contemplated 
a new domestic hydrocarbon engine. There 
were similar concerns about U.S. depen- 
dence on the Russian Soyuz for crew trans- 
portation to ISS. 

NASA leased Apollo/Shuttle Launch Com- 
plex 39A at Kennedy Space Center to SpaceX 
for commercial use. Texas and SpaceX an- 
nounced plans for a commercial launch facil- 
ity in that state. Russia continued construction 
of an eastern launch site at Vostochny while 
China neared completion of the Wenchang 
Launch Center. 

Stratolaunch chose Aerojet Rocketdyne 
RL10 engines for stage three of its Thunder- 
bolt air-launched vehicles in development by 
Orbital Sciences. Construction of the system’s 
carrier aircraft, the largest in the world, was 
30 percent complete. Scaled Composites is 
building the aircraft in Mojave, California. The 
system is to launch Delta 2-class satellites be- 
ginning in 2018. 

Russia flew a suborbital first test of the 
Angara rocket, its first entirely new post-So- 
viet Union launcher. Eight Soyuz cargo and 
ISS crew missions, four of each, launched to 
the station from Baikonur, Russia. Proton and 
Rockot launches resumed with four and two 
flights, respectively. In May, Proton experi- 
enced another in a string of failures in recent 
years, putting the remaining launch sched- 
ule in doubt. This and a Russian-built Soyuz 
that put two Galileo navigation satellites into 
incorrect orbits from Europe’s spaceport in 
Kourou, French Guiana, has marred Russia’s 
historic launch success record. A restructuring 
of the Russian space industry is underway. 

Sea Launch resumed operations with a Ze- 
nit 3SL launch but temporarily mothballed its 
maritime launch platform and cut staff to ad- 
dress a launch gap through 2013. 

The Kourou launch site flew four Ari- 
anespace Soyuz, two Vega rockets and five 
Ariane 5s, including the fifth and final Auto- 
mated Transfer Vehicle to the ISS. 

India had three launches and a planned 
fourth-quarter suborbital test of the new 
Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle Mk.3 with 
two large solid boosters, a liquid core sec- 
ond stage and a cryogenic third stage. Japan 
launched four H-2As. China launched five 
Long March variants. 

Virgin Galactic’s commercial suborbital 
SpaceShipTwo broke apart during a test flight 
in October, killing one pilot and injuring the 
other. An investigation is underway. 

DARPA awarded study contracts for a re- 
usable suborbital space plane dubbed XS-1 . A 


76 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW 


T he year saw extensive use of one of the 
fielded strategic defense and missile inter- 
cept systems: Israel’s Iron Dome. During the 
conflict with Gaza, Israel reported 735 rocket 
interceptions and 70 misses, according to 
Aviation Week — about a 90 percent intercept 
rate. Iron Dome has a man in the loop to de- 
cide whether to launch an interceptor. Thus, 
roughly 800 times the decision was made to 
launch an anti-missile missile against the re- 
ported 4,594 rockets and mortars fired from 
the Gaza Strip. 

There was one missile intercept test in the 
U.S. this year. The Missile Defense Agency 
and other Defense Department components 
completed an integrated exercise of the 
Ground-based Midcourse Defense, or GMD, 
element of the Ballistic Missile Defense Sys- 
tem on June 22. Flight Test Ground-Based 
Interceptor 06b began with the launch of a 
threat-representative intermediate-range bal- 
listic missile target from the U.S. Army’s Rea- 
gan Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific 
Ocean. Six minutes later a long-range ground- 
based interceptor was launched from Vanden- 
berg Air Force Base, California. 

A U.S. Navy vessel using the Aegis 
Weapon System AN/SPY-1 radar detected 
and tracked the target. The Sea-Based X-Band 
radar also tracked the target. Both systems 
relayed information to the GMD fire-control 
system to assist in the target engagement and 
to collect test data. 

The interceptor rocket had three stages, 
and placed the kinetic kill vehicle in the tar- 
get missile’s projected trajectory in space. The 
kill vehicle maneuvered into the path of the 
target, performed discrimination on various 
objects traveling with the warhead and inter- 
cepted the threat warhead with a “hit to kill,” 
relying solely on a direct collision between 
the interceptor and the target to destroy the 
warhead. At the closing velocities involved 
— in the kilometers per second regime — ex- 
plosives provide little additional energy above 
what is provided by the kinetic energy of the 
vehicles. This was the first intercept using the 
new second-generation Exoatmospheric Kill 
Vehicle. The intercept occurred over the Pa- 
cific Ocean. 

The test brought to 65 the number of suc- 
cessful hit-to-kill intercepts in 81 attempts 
since 2001 for all aspects of the Ballistic Mis- 
sile Defense System. The GMD element of the 
system has completed four intercepts using 
the operationally configured interceptor since 
2006. Operational ground-based interceptors 
are currently deployed at Fort Greely, Alaska, 


and Vandenberg Air Force Base to provide 
protection against a limited long-range ballis- 
tic missile attack. 

This year saw the cancellation of a major 
ground vehicle program, the Army’s Ground 
Combat Vehicle. With previous years’ cancel- 
lations of other major ground systems, such 
as the Marines’ Expeditionary Fighting Vehi- 
cle and the Army’s Future Combat Systems, 
it is clear that ground vehicle design needs 
close attention. There have been major efforts 
to address these problems, including DAR- 
PA’s Adaptive Vehicle Make program, which 
wrapped up this year. The goal was to reduce 
the time from concept to rolling vehicle by 
a factor of five. The program aimed to de- 
velop extensive tools to allow vehicle design- 
ers to perform analysis by automating the 
entire computational pipeline involved in ar- 
eas such as ballistic armor and blast analysis, 
and to automate much of the manufacturing 
and procurement process. Such efforts are re- 
quired to cut long development times, which 
are a major threat to weapon system procure- 
ment because they lead to requirement creep, 
cost growth and component obsolescence. A 


A missile interceptor blasts off from 
Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. 



Missile defense 
systems score 
hits 

by James D. Walker 

The Weapon System 
Effectiveness Technical 
Committee advances 
the science and technology 
of predicting , measuring , 
evaluating , and improving 
the lethality of weapon 
systems. 


Missile Defense Agency 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 77 



25 Years Ago, December 1989 


Dec. 5 Iraq launches a three-stage 
rocket said to be capable of orbiting 
a satellite. NASA, Astronautics and 
Aeronautics, 1986-90, p. 239. 

Dec. 29 The prototype of the 
McDonnell MD-530N tail-rotorless 
helicopter makes its first flight. Flight 
International, Jan. 10-16, 1990, p. 24. 



Dec. 31 The first commercial Titan is 

launched from Cape Canaveral and orbits the British Skynet 4A military and the 
Japanese JC Sat 2 satellites. Flight International, Jan.10-16, 1990, p. 13. 


50 Years Ago, December 1964 


Dec. 1 The first full-power static firing of the Saturn-4B's liquid oxygen/liquid 
hydrogen rocket stage of five J-2 engines is made. Each J-2 delivers 200,000 
pounds of thrust for a total thrust of a million pounds. The engines operated 
normally for 1 0 seconds at the Douglas Missile and Space Systems Division 
at Sacramento, Calif. Missiles & Rockets, Dec. 7, 1964, p. 9. 


Dec. 1 The first sounding rocket launched by a Latin American country under a 
cooperative agreement with NASA is made when a U.S. -developed solid-propellant 
Nike-Cajun is launched from the Chamical range in Argentina. Argentina built 
the scientific payload and Argentine technicians and engineers conducted the 
launch after training from NASA. The payload consists of wave propagation, 
electron temperature, and ion density experiment scientific equipment for 
studying the ionosphere. The project is administered by the Argentine National 
Commission of Space Research and NASA. NASA Release 64-304. 



Dec. 1 The Houston Colt .45s baseball team 
changed its name to the Houston Astros, 
reflecting the fame of the city as the U.S. 
space capital with the establishment of 
NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center in 1963. 
The center was later renamed the Lyndon B. 
Johnson Space Center, or simply the Johnson 
Space Center. Aviation Week, Dec. 7, 1964, p 



15. 


Dec. 8 It is reported that a team of Canadian scientists from McGill University 
of Quebec conducted Project Harp (High Altitude Research Program), a series of 
experiments using a 250-ton, 16-inch naval gun to launch scientific rockets to 
altitudes of almost 100 miles for the purpose of gathering data on the ionosphere's 
influence on radio communications. Gerald Bull, who conceived Project Harp, 
also believes the combination of gun and rocket could be used to orbit light, 
100-pound satellites in low-Earth orbits. More than 80 shots are fired in Project 
Harp, most of which are successful. London Daily Telegraph, Dec. 8,1964, p. 14. 


Dec. 8 The first airplane landing made entirely by a computer is carried out by 
a United Air Lines Caravelle jet at Dulles International Airport, near Washington, 
D.C. The computer constantly determines the correct altitude, rate of descent and 
speed in making the landing, without any directions from the pilot. Washington 
Post, Dec. 9, 1964. 


Dec. 8 Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin D. Foulois, America's first military 


78 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 20 1 4 


pilot, is honored for his achievements 
in aviation at a dinner on his 85th 
birthday. As a captain in 1916 he was 
given command of the first U.S. air 
tactical unit, the 1st Aero Squadron. 
By 1931 he became chief of the Army 
Air Corps. In 1964 he was presented 
with a special Medal of Recognition 
for his more than 50 years of dedication 
and service to aviation in a ceremony 
at the Pentagon. New York Times, 

Dec. 11, 1964, p. 34. 

Dec. 8 NASA conducts a test of the 
launch escape system of the Apollo 
spacecraft by means of the solid- 
propellant Little Joe 2 test vehicle 
at the White Sands Proving Ground, 
N.M. Flight International, Dec. 17, 
1964, p. 1958. 

Dec. 10 The Titan 
3 -A makes its first 
successful test flight 
in a launch from Cape 
Kennedy, Fla. During 
its first orbit, the 
vehicle's 5,250-pound 
Transtage (third stage 
with multiple start- 
stop-restart capability) 
enables the stage to 
make a 360-degree 
somersault to align 
the platform's inertial 
guidance system 
gyroscopes, while at 
the end of the orbit a 
3,375-pound dummy 
satellite is placed into a 
orbit. New York Times, 
p. 20; Aviation Week, C 
p. 27. 

Dec. 11 The Aerobee 350, the most 
sophisticated and final member of 
the Aerobee family of liquid-propellant 
sounding rockets, is launched for the 
first time at Wallops Island, Va., and 
attains an altitude of 6,600 feet. NASA 
Report, "Aerobee 350" file, NASM. 

Dec. 11 The Atlas-Centaur 4 (AC-4) is 
launched with a 2,100-pound 
Surveyor spacecraft mass model in an 
important test flight toward the first 



An Aerospace Chronology 

by Frank H. Winter 

and Robert van der Linden 


lunar soft landing. Surveyors are sent 
to the moon to gather critical data 
on the surface prior to the Apollo 
manned lunar landings. The AC-4 
mission is thus a development flight 
for the Centaur high-energy upper 
stage. Aviation Week, Dec. 21, 1964, 
p. 24. 

Dec. 15 The San Marco 1 Italian- 
designed scientific satellite is launched 
by a NASA-trained Italian crew by a 
four-stage, all-solid-propellant Scout 
rocket at NASA's Wallops Island, Va., 
facility. This also marks the first time 
a foreign country designs, builds 
and launches a satellite as part of 
NASA's international program. The 
254-pound San Marco is to measure 
air density and radio transmission 
characteristics in the ionosphere. 
Aviation Week, Dec. 21, 1964, p. 16; 
Flight International, Dec. 24, 1964, 

p. 1100. 

Dec. 21 Explorer 26, also known 
as the Energetic Particles Explorer D, 
is launched by a Delta rocket from 
Cape Kennedy, Fla., into an unusual 
egg-shaped orbit. This allows the 
windmill-shaped satellite to gather 
data on how high energy radiation 
particles are injected, trapped and 
eventually lost in the Van Allen radiation 
belts, data needed for the upcoming 
Project Apollo flights. Washington 
Post, Dec. 22, 1964; Aviation Week, 
Dec. 14,1964, p. 55. 


Base, Calif., and reaches an altitude of 45,000 feet at 1 ,000 mph. Powered by 
a pair of Pratt & Whitney J-58 jet engines with a maximum thrust of 34,000 
pounds, the Blackbird eventually flies to more than 2,000 mph and above 
80,000 feet. New York Times, Dec. 23, 1 964, p. 1 . 

75 Years Ago, December 1939 

Dec. 2 The Army Air Corps is authorized 
to begin the development of a four-engined 
bomber with a 2,000-mile range. This will lead 
to the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Aeronautics 
and Astronautics 1915-60, p. 39. 


Dec. 20 The Canadian Minister of Defense 

announces the selection of Squadron 1 1 0 of Toronto as the first Royal Canadian 
Air Force unit to be sent overseas. Flight, Dec. 28, 1 939, p. 530. 

Dec. 21 A Savoia-Marchetti S.M.83, powered by three 750-h.p. Alfa-Romeo 
1 26 R.C. 34 engines, leaves Rome for the start of the first regular night mail and 
passenger service between Rome and Rio de Janeiro, a distance of 6,000 miles. 
The Aeroplane, Jan. 12, 1940, p. 56. 

Dec. 23 The Japanese biplane Yamato leaves Tokyo on a goodwill flight to Italy 
with greetings to Benito Mussolini in his capacity as prime minister and minister 
of air. The plane lands in Rome on Dec. 31 . The Aeroplane, Jan. 12, 1940, p. 58; 
Interavia, Dec. 27, 1939, p. 18. 

Dec. 26 The first Royal Australian Air Force squadron designated for action 
against Germany arrives in England and is to use Short Sunderland flying boats. 
The Aeroplane, Jan. 5, 1 940, p. 1 5. 

Dec. 30 A Soviet Ilyushin TsKB-55 prototype makes its first flight with famed test 
pilot Vladimir Kokkinaki at the controls. Heavily armed and armored, the TsKB-55 
is designated the 11-2 when it enters'service and becomes famous as a ground 
attack aircraft during World War II. Yefim Gordon et al. OKB Ilyushin: A History 
of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft, pp. 1 5-1 6. 

And During December 1939 



Dec. 21 The General Dynamics 
Aardvark tactical strike aircraft 
makes its first flight at Carswell 
Air Force Base, Fort Worth, 
Texas, although there is a mi- 
nor malfunction with the wing 
trailing edge flap brake lock, 
thereby shortening a flight that 
is considered 90 percent suc- 
cessful. Aviation Week, 

Dec. 28, 1964, p. 18. 

Dec. 22 The Air Force's Lockheed 
SR-71 Blackbird advanced, 
long-range Mach 3+ strategic 
reconnaissance plane makes its 
first flight at Palmdale Air Force 



Dec. 24 The first bomb falls on England, dropped by 
a German aircraft over Dover. Francis K. Mason and 
Martin Windrow, Know Aviation, p. 17. 


— Timm Aircraft, pioneers in the use of plastics in aircraft construction, 

completes its first plane, the PT-160-K, a two-seat, 
open-tandem military trainer. The 35-foot-span plane, 
fitted with a 160-h.p. engine, uses Nuyon, a triple 
criss-cross laminated spruce plywood heavily 
impregnated with phenol formaldehyde. The sheets 
are formed to shape by the application of heat and 
pressure. The plane's skin is formed of two molded 
halves fitted over conventional spars and ribs and 
sealed at all points by the same phenol process. 

Flight, Dec. 21, 1939, p. 508. 


100 Years Ago, December 1914 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 79 


Career Opportunities 


AUBURN UNIVERSITY 


S A M U HI. GINN 

C O L L KG E O l- E N G I N E E RING 

AEROSPACE 

The Department of Aerospace Engineering at Auburn University invites applications for 
multiple tenure track positions at the assistant or associate professor rank. Candidates with 
exceptional background and experience may be considered at a higher rank. Areas of interest 
include air-breathing and rocket propulsion, aerospace structures and structural dynamics, 
aeroelasticity, computational fluid dynamics, and combustion. Other areas related to aerospace 
engineering may also be considered. Applicants must have an earned doctorate in aerospace 
engineering, mechanical engineering, or a closely related field. 

Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible by submitting a cover letter, current CV, 
research vision, teaching philosophy, and three references to the job posting at: 
http://aufacultypositions. peop leadmin.eom/p ostings/7 1 1 

Cover letters may be addressed to: Prof. Winfred A. (Butch) Foster, Faculty Search Committee 
Chair, 211 Davis Hall, Auburn, AL 36849. The review process will begin December 1, 2014, 
but applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled. Additional information 
about the department may be found at: http://www.eng.auburn.edu/aero/ 

Auburn University is an EEO/Vet/Disability employer. 



SjgVirginiaTech 

Invent the Future 

Department of Mechanical Engineering Faculty Positions 

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech invites applications for four faculty positions: one in 
the area of Mechanical Systems and three in the area of Fluid Dynamics and Thermal Sciences. These positions will 
be at Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor levels. Exceptional candidates will be considered for named 
professorships. 

The successful candidate for the Mechanical Systems position will have expertise in fields related to robotics, 
dynamics and control, mechatronics, machine learning, human-machine interaction, bio-robotics and medical 
robotics, robotic exoskeletons, or other emerging applications of robotics or autonomous systems. 

The Fluid Dynamics and Thermal Sciences positions are targeted towards (1) Experimental combustion science and 
technology in novel propulsion and energy applications; (2) Fundamental and applied experimental fluid dynamics 
using advanced measurement techniques in emerging applications such as, but not limited to, energy harvesting, 
biological and bio-inspired systems; (3) Experimental or computational multiphase flow and heat transfer at the 
micro-nano scales in emerging energy and thermal management systems. Applicants in other emerging areas such 
as data analytics and uncertainty quantification in fluid-thermal engineered systems are also encouraged to apply. 

Blacksburg is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains and is widely recognized by national rankings as a vibrant and 
desirable community with affordable living, world-class outdoor recreation, an active arts community, and a diverse 
international population. The Department of Mechanical Engineering which includes a Nuclear Engineering 
Program, has over 50 faculty, research expenditures in excess of $17M, and a current enrollment of over 170 
doctoral, 130 masters, and over 1200 undergraduate students. The Department is ranked 16 th and 17 th out of all 
mechanical engineering departments in the nation in undergraduate and graduate education, respectively, by the 
2014 U.S. News and World Report. The Department includes several research centers and its faculty members are 
engaged in diverse multidisciplinary research activities. The mechanical engineering faculty also benefit from a 
number of university-wide institutes such as the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS), 
College level centers such as the Rolls-Royce and the Commonwealth of Virginia Center for Aerospace Propulsion 
Systems (CCAPS), the recently established Rolls Royce University Technology Center (UTC) in advanced systems 
diagnostics, and the Virginia Center for Autonomous Systems (VaCAS, www.unmanned.vt.edu). 

Applicants must hold a doctoral degree in engineering or a closely related discipline. We are seeking highly 
qualified candidates committed to a career in research and teaching. The successful candidate will be responsible 
for mentoring graduate and undergraduate students, teaching courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and 
developing an internationally recognized research program. Candidates should apply online at www.jobs.vt.edu to 
posting number TR0140100 for the Mechanical Systems position and to posting number TR01 40101 for the Fluid 
Dynamics and Thermal Sciences positions. For the Fluid Dynamics and Thermal Science positions please indicate 
the research area you would like to be considered for in your cover letter. Applicants should submit a cover letter, a 
curriculum vitae including a list of published journal articles, a one-page research statement, a brief statement on 
teaching preferences, and the names of five references that the search committee may contact. Review of 
applications for all positions will begin on December 10, 2014 and will continue until the positions are filled. 

Virginia Tech is committed to diversity and seeks a broad spectrum of candidates including women, minorities, and 
people with disabilities. Virginia Tech is a recipient of the National Science Foundation ADVANCE Institutional 
Transformation Award to increase the participation of women in academic science and engineering careers 
(www.advance.vt.edu) . 

For assistance submitting the application please contact Ms. Brandy McCoy (brandy07 @vt. edu) , (540) 231-6661. 
General inquiries about the positions should be addressed to the search committee chairs: Prof. Andrew Kurdila 
(kurd ila@vt . edu) for Mechanical Systems and Prof. Francine Battaglia (fbattagl@y_t.edu) for Fluid Dynamics and 
Thermal Sciences 


CONNECT 

When you join AIM, you gain countless 

OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT 
WITH MORE THAN 30,000 OTHERS 

in the field of aerospace science, 
engineering, technology, management, 
education, and policy. 

ACHIEVE 

AIAA connections and educational 
programs provide a LIFETIME OF 
OPPORTUNITIES for you to ADVANCE 
PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY 
and to BE RECOGNIZED FOR YOUR 
ACHIEVEMENTS. 

INSPIRE 

AIAA membership helps you SHARE 
IDEAS, SPARK INSIGHTS, MEET 
YOUR HEROES, AND BUILD 
ENTHUSIASM FOR AEROSPACE WITH 
THE NEXT GENERATION. When you 
join, you become part of AIM's mission to 
ADVANCE THE STATE OF AEROSPACE 
SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND 
TECHNOLOGICAL LEADERSHIP. 


JOIN 

AIAA PROFESSIONAL 
MEMBERSHIP 

An investment in AIAA membership 
provides the professional development 
resources and contacts to advance 
your career . . . expand your potential 
impact on the future of aerospace 
... and keep you at the forefront of 
aerospace technology. 

www.aiaa.org 


AM A A . 



80 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 



ACHIEVE 

MORE 

THE AIAA CAREER CENTER 

JOB BOARD-THOUSANDS OF 
JOB POSTINGS 

CAREER TIPS 

PROFESSIONAL RESUME WRITING 

CAREER COACHING 

SOCIAL NETWORKING/PROFILE 
DEVELOPMENT 

REFERENCE CHECKING/ 
EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATION 

DISCOUNT TEST PREP SERVICES/ 
PRINCETON REVIEW TEST PREP 





Achieve more with 
this valuable member 
benefit today! 

careercenter.aiaa.org 


4 


Shaping the Future of Aerospace 


USC University of 
Southern California 

The Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Southern 
California is seeking applications and nominations for the position of Department Chair. 
The candidate must have an outstanding record of scholarly and technical achievements, 
a strong commitment to engineering education, effective management and interpersonal 
skills, and must be eligible for appointment at the full professor level. Exceptionally 
strong candidates will also be considered for appointment to an endowed professorship. 

A PhD degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering or a related field is required. 
Applications should be received preferably by January 10, 2015. Information about the 
department can be found at h ttp://ame-www.usc.edu . 

Interested candidates should prepare an application package consisting of their personal 
contact information; a curriculum vitae; a cover letter describing their technical 
qualifications, thoughts on leadership, and their vision of the field in the future; and 
contact information for at least four professional references. All material in the 
application package is to be submitted electronically at http://ame-usc.edu/facultypositions/ . 

Inquiries should be directed to the Search Committee Chair, Prof. Lucio Soibelman at 
soibelman@usc.edu. 

USC is an equal-opportunity educator and employer, proudly pluralistic and firmly committed to 
providing equal opportunity for outstanding persons of every race, gender, creed and 
background. The University particularly encourages women, members of underrepresented 
groups, veterans and individuals with disabilities to apply. USC will make reasonable 
accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in 
an undue hardship. Further information is available by contacting uschr(a) y usc.edu . 




USC University of 
Southern. California 


The Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at USC is seeking 
applications and nominations for tenure-track or tenured faculty. All fields of aerospace 
and mechanical engineering will be considered, with particular emphasis on 
computational engineering. We also encourage special applications from more senior 
scholars who have a well-established academic record and whose accomplishments are 
leading/transforming their fields of study. Exceptionally strong candidates will also be 
considered for appointment to an endowed professorship. 

Applicants must have earned a Ph.D. or the equivalent in a relevant field by the 
beginning of the appointment and have a strong research and publication record. 
Applications must include a letter clearly indicating area(s) of specialization, a detailed 
curriculum vitae, a concise statement of current and future research directions, a teaching 
statement, and contact information for at least four professional references. This material 
should be submitted electronically at http://ame-www.usc.edu/facultypositions/. Early 
submission is strongly advised and encouraged as the application review process will 
commence January 5, 2015. 


USCViterbi 

School of Engineering 


USC is an equal-opportunity educator and employer, proudly pluralistic and firmly committed to 
providing equal opportunity for outstanding persons of every race, gender, creed and background. 
The University particularly encourages members of underrepresented groups, veterans and 
individuals with disabilities to apply. USC will make reasonable accommodations for qualified 
individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. Further 
information regarding accommodations is available by contacting uschr@usc.edu. 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 81 


Career Opportunities 



University of Cpjstkal Florida 

Mechanical and Aerospace Engine nm Nr. 


Assistant/Associate Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 


In collaboration with the Townes Laser Institute and the College of Optics and Photonics, the 
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Department of the College of Engineering and 
Computer Science (CECS), are establishing a new initiative in advanced manufacturing technologies. 

As part of this initiative, the MAE Department is recruiting a tenure -track/tenured faculty member 
who can successfully build strong research and educational programs in sensors and advanced laser- 
based manufacturing technologies, establish new manufacturing facilities, and strengthen 
partnerships with relevant industries. Faculty associated with this initiative will benefit from the 
recently formed $250M International Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research (ICAMR) in 
Osceola County to develop innovative manufacturing of sensors and other high-tech products. 

The Townes Laser Institute, housed in the College of Optics and Photonics, is one of the nation's 
premier academic research centers in advanced laser technologies and their applications. Its mission 
is to advance laser technologies that will impact applications in manufacturing, medicine and defense. 

Interested persons with questions about the positions may contact the Search Committee Chair, Dr. 
Ranganathan Kumar, Associate Dean for Research, at Ranganathan.Kumar@ucf.edu. For more 
information about the department, we invite all interested parties to visit MAE's website at 
www.mae.ucf.edu . Candidates must submit all documents on-line to 
http ://www.j obswithucf.com: 80/postings/40092. Review of applications will begin immediately and 
continue until the positions are filled. 

UCF is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and encourages the candidacies of women, 
members of racial and ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities. All searches and documents are 
subject to the Sunshine and public records laws of the State of Florida. 


AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND MECHANICS 
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA 

The Department of Aerospace Engineeringand Mechanics seeks to fill faculty positions 
in aerospace systems. Applications are invited in all areas of aerospace systems, 
particularly in areas that complement current research activities in the department. 
These research activities include but are not limited to control system analysis and 
design, multi-sensor navigation and guidance algorithm design forthe operation of 
aircraft, spacecraft and autonomousvehicles. The department has a large number of 
experimental and computational facilities. There are close ties with other departments 
and on-campus multidisciplinary centers. Information a bout the department is available 
at http://www.aem.umn.edu/ 

The successful candidate will participate in all aspects of the Department's mission, 
including teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in aerospace engineering 
mechanics and aerospace systems; supervision of undergraduate and graduate 
students; service responsibilities; and developingan independent, externally-funded 
research program. 

Applicants must havean earned doctoratein a related field by the dateof appointment. 
The intent isto hire at the assistant professor rank. However, exceptional applicants 
may be considered for appointmentatthe rankof associate professorwith or without 
tenure. It is anticipatedthatthe appointment will beginfall 2015. 

To applyfor this position, candidates must go to 

http://wwwl.umn.edu/ohr/employment/index.html and search for requisition no. 
193904. Please attach your letter of application, detailed resume, names and contact 
information of three references, and a statement of teachingand research interests. 

Application Deadline: The initial screeningof applications will begin on December 1, 
2014; applications will be accepted until the position is filled . 


The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. 



* 


DON'T 
MISS THIS 
OPPORTUNITY 
OF A 

LIFETIME... 

Become an AIAA 
Lifetime Member! 

AIAA is your vital lifelong link to 
the aerospace profession and a 
champion for its achievements. 

Lifetime Membership is: 

* Open to any individual 
from the recently 
graduated to the retired. 

* Uninterrupted AIAA 
membership benefits, 
protecting you against 
future dues increases. 

* An ongoing commitment to 
AIAA and the Aerospace 
profession. 

With AIAA Lifetime Membership 
the opportunities are Endless\ 

For more information, contact 
Customer Service at 

custserv@aiaa.org, 
800 . 639.2422 (US Only), 
or 703 . 264.7500 


(jjiAIAA. 

Shaping tfie Future of Aerospace 

aiaa.org 

#aiaa 


82 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 



UCLA Engineering 

University of California, 
Los Angefes 

Mechanical and Aerospace 
Engineering Department 

The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineer- 
ing Department is accepting applications 
to fill two full-time tenure track faculty po- 
sitions at the Assistant Professor level in 
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 
Department. Exceptional candidates at the 
Associate or Full Professor level will also 
be considered. 

The first position (Tracking 
#JPF00557) is in Aerospace Engineering. 
Candidates should have demonstrated 
technical strength and research focus in 
the fundamentals that underlie advanced 
aeronautical and/or space systems. Candi- 
dates whose technical interests overlap 
with those in Southern California’s exten- 
sive aerospace community are of particular 
interest. Please apply by submitting your 
materials via our online application site, 
https://recmit.apo.ucla.edu/apply/TPF00557 . 

The second position (Tracking 
#JPF00585) is in Distributed Transductions 
for Mechanical Systems. Areas of interest 
include but are not limited to: distributed 
sensing and actuation that empower me- 
chanical systems such as robots and wear- 
able devices; adaptive transducers capable 
of changing bulk or surface properties; 
transduction network with local intelli- 
gence to reduce the signal bandwidth re- 
quirements; and emerging manufacturing 
technologies for such trans- 
ducers. Please apply by submitting your 
materials via our online application site, 
https ://recruit. apo.ucla.edu/apply/TPF00585. 

Applicants must hold a doctoral degree 
in engineering or a closely related disci- 
pline. The successful candidate will be re- 
sponsible for teaching undergraduate and 
graduate courses and for developing a 
strong externally sponsored research pro- 
gram. We are interested in outstanding 
candidates who are committed to excel- 
lence in teaching and scholarship and to a 
diverse campus climate. The University of 
California is an affirmative action/equal 
opportunity employer. All qualified appli- 
cants will receive consideration for em- 
ployment without regard to race, color, re- 
ligion, sex, national origin, disability, age 
or protected veteran status. For the com- 
plete University of California nondiscrimi- 
nation and affirmative action policy see: 
UC Nondiscrimination & Affirmative Ac- 
tion Policy. 

Applications will be accepted online 
while the submission site is open until 
June 15, 2015. The evaluation of applica- 
tions will be rolling. The first evaluation 
will be conducted on applications submit- 
ted by January 5, 2015 and interviews of 
selected candidates will start thereafter. 
Do not send hard copies, as they will not 
be processed or returned. 


I 

THE UNIVERSITY OF 

TEXAS 

AT AUSTIN 


FACULTY POSITIONS 


THE DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING & ENGINEERING MECHANICS AT THE 
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN has four faculty positions open with a start date of September 2015. 
Our intention is that most of these positions will be hired at the assistant professor rank, but outstanding 
candidates at the rank of associate professor or early full professor will be considered. We invite applications 
in the following areas: 

• Remote Sensing. Earth and space observation and associated technology and data analysis. Topics of 
interest include estimation, orbital mechanics, data fusion, modeling, and interpretation of remote sensing 
data. Application areas include Earth and planetary remote sensing, space situational awareness, and space 
geodesy. Collaboration is encouraged with the internationally-recognized Center for Space Research 
(http://www.csr.utexas.edu/), which is at the forefront of research into space science, engineering and 
technology. 

• Space Systems Engineering. Engineering of small satellites and/or distributed space systems in support 
of Earth and space science and technology. Topics include autonomy, estimation and control, embedded 
systems, mission design, technology miniaturization, on-board algorithms and other emerging areas in 
space technology. Experience with space-flight projects is desired. Collaboration is encouraged with the 
internationally-recognized Center for Space Research (http://www.csr.utexas.edu/), which is at the 
forefront of research into space science, engineering and technology. 

• Robotic Systems. Mobile robotic systems with application to air, space, sea or land vehicles. Research 
areas may include, but are not limited to, cognitive robotics (autonomy, machine learning, human-robot 
collaboration), bio-inspired systems, soft robotics, bio-mimetic vehicle dynamics, and computational 
neuroscience. Applicants with interests in large-scale cyber-physical systems or experimental efforts are 
particularly encouraged to apply. We seek synergies between successful applicants in multiple departments, 
thus a demonstrated ability to work across disciplines is essential. 

• Computational Fluid Dynamics. Multi-scale modeling of turbulent flows relevant to propulsion, energy, 
combustion, unsteady aerodynamics, flow-structure interaction, bio-inspired locomotion, and the 
environment. The successful candidate will have expertise in modeling turbulent flows that have added 
complexity such as chemical reactions, plasma, surface interactions, flow-structure interaction, multiple 
phases, and geophysical phenomena. Computational resources are available through UT’s Texas Advanced 
Computing Center (https://www.tacc.utexas.edu/) and collaboration is encouraged with UT’s Institute 
for Computational Engineering and Sciences (https://www.ices.utexas.edu/) 

The successful candidates for these positions are expected to supervise graduate students, teach undergraduate 
and graduate courses, develop sponsored research programs, collaborate with other faculty, and be involved 
in service to the university and the engineering profession. Applications received by December 15, 2014 are 
assured full consideration, but the search will continue until the position is filled. 

To apply, submit an application, CV, cover letter, research statement, teaching statement, and names and 
contact information for references (a minimum of 3 for tenure-track and 5 for tenured candidates) at 
http://www.ae.utexas.edu/faculty/faculty-openings. Only complete applications will be considered. 
Applicants for this position should have received, or expect to receive a doctoral degree prior to September 
2015. The University of Texas at Austin is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. For more 
information about The Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, please visit 
http://www.ae.utexas.edu. These positions have been designated as security-sensitive, and a criminal 
background check will be conducted on the applicants selected. 

What Starts Here Changes the World 


if you only 

had the time, right? Now you do. 
3-12 MONTH assignments now available. 


Peace Corps now offers short-term Volunteer assignments oversees for 5 months 
to l year for especially skilled professionals with at feast lo years experience. 

PEACE 
CORPS 

— • peacecorps.gov/re4ponse 


RESPONSE 




AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 83 



Career Opportunities 


Faculty Position in Space and Satellite Systems: 
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at The Ohio State University invites applications from outstanding individuals 
for an open rank, tenured or tenure track, faculty position in space and satellite systems. Specific areas of interest include, but 
are not limited to: (a) Energy management and control of heterogeneous energy sources for prolonged space missions; (b) In-space 
propulsion technologies, including solar electric propulsion and deep-space cryogenic storage of fuel; (c) Thermal management 
in spacecraft and space structures; (d) Space System Integration; and (e) Spacecraft dynamics and control systems including 
navigation, guidance and pointing systems. 

The department presently has 65 full-time faculty members, 20 focused on aerospace specifically, with nationally ranked undergraduate 
and graduate programs. Research interests cover broad ranges of mechanical, aerospace, nuclear, and materials science and engineering 
topics. The Ohio State University offers a vibrant research environment with one of the largest, best equipped, and best connected 
academic research platforms in North America. This position is aligned with the College’s strategic plan for crosscutting, interdisciplinary 
research efforts in energy and environmental monitoring. More information can be found at: 
https://mae.osu.edu/ and http://engineering.osu.edu/. 

Qualifications: 

Competitive candidates should have a doctorate in an applicable discipline (Aerospace/ Aeronautical/ Astronautical Engineering, 
Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline); a demonstrated ability to conduct independent research; obtain research funding; 
work collaborative ly within the department, college, university and with aerospace research organizations across the state and 
country; as well as a strong interest in teaching graduate and undergraduate classes. Rank offered will be based on the qualifications 
of the successful candidate. The anticipated start date is Fall 2015. Screening of applicants will begin immediately and continue 
until the position is filled. Interested candidates should upload a single PDF file containing a complete curriculum vitae, 2-3 
page (each) statements of research and teaching goals, and contact information for four references to: 
http : //www. mecheng . osu . edu/faculty_positions . 

In addition, please email a copy of the PDF containing the application materials to: MAE_Space_Search@osu.edu. 


O The Ohio State University 

I COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING 


The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment 
without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, disability status, or protected veteran 
status. Columbus is a thriving metropolitan community, and the University is responsive to the needs of dual career couples. 


UIVirginiaTech 

Invent the Future 

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech is seeking to fill the position of Department Head 

Virginia Tech invites applications for the position of Professor and Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department. Virginia Tech, founded in 1872 as a land-grant 
institution, is currently ranked in Top 25 Public University by US News & World Report and Top 25 Public Research University by the National Science Foundation. As 
the Commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech serves a diverse population of 30,000+ students and 8000+ 
faculty and staff from over 100 countries, and is engaged in research around the world. The 120-acre VT Corporate Research Center is home to over 100 companies 
and the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. 

The College of Engineering is home to 13 departments with about 330 faculty, 7,500 undergraduate students, and 2,100 graduate students. In 2014, the College of 
Engineering was ranked in the top- 10 in the nation for the number of BS and PhD awarded. In the most recent rankings by U.S. News & World Report the College of 
Engineering’s undergraduate program ranked 15th (8th among public universities), and the graduate program ranked 21st (12th among public universities). 

The Mechanical Engineering Department, which includes a Nuclear Engineering Program, has over 50 faculty, research expenditures in excess of $17M, and a 
current enrollment of over 170 doctoral, 130 masters, and over 1200 undergraduate students. The department is ranked 16th and 17th out of all mechanical engineering 
departments in the nation in undergraduate and graduate education, respectively, by the 2014 U.S. News and World Report. The department includes several research 
centers and its faculty members are engaged in diverse multidisciplinary research activities. The mechanical engineering faculty also benefit from a number of 
university- wide institutes such as the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS), college level centers such as the Commonwealth Center for 
Aerospace Propulsion Systems (CCAPS), the recently established Rolls Royce University Technology Center (UTC) in advanced systems diagnostics, and the Virginia 
Center for Autonomous Systems (VaCAS). 

Applicants must hold a doctoral degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field. We are seeking highly qualified candidates that demonstrated intellectual 
leadership and administrative skills in an academic/university environment or equivalent, with an ability to communicate effectively, concisely, and clearly at all levels. 
Candidates must also have a dedication to the instructional mission of the university, an established record of professional activities and leadership in professional 
organizations, and credentials commensurate with the appointment as full professor with tenure in the department. Applications must be submitted online to 
https://www.jobs.vt.edu to posting number TR0140132. Applicant screening will begin Jan. 10, 2015 and will continue until the position is filled. Applications should 
include curriculum vitae, a cover letter, a vision statement, a statement of leadership style and experience, and contact information for at least five individuals providing 
references. References will only be contacted concerning those candidates who are selected for the short list/phone interviews. 

Blacksburg is consistently ranked among the country’s best places to live and raise a family (http://www.liveinblacksburg.com/). It is a scenic and vibrant community 
located in the New River Valley between the Alleghany and Blue Ridge Mountains. The town is proximal to state parks, trails, and other regional attractions of Southwest 
Virginia, renowned for their history and natural beauty. For assistance submitting the application please contact Ms. Diana Israel (disrael@vt.edu, (540)-231-6424). 
Inquires about the position should be directed to the Chair of the search committee, Prof. Corina Sandu (csandu@vt.edu, (540) 231-7467). 

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, gender, disability, age, veteran status, 
national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or political affiliation, is committed to diversity, and seeks a broad spectrum of candidates. Questions concerning discrimination 
should be directed to the Office for Equity and Access. Virginia Tech is a recipient of the National Science Foundation ADVANCE Institutional Transformation Award to 
increase the participation of women in academic science and engineering careers (http://www.advance.vt.edu) and is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution. 
Virginia Tech responds to the needs of dual-career couples and has policies in place to provide flexibility for faculty careers. Invent the Future at Virginia Tech! 


84 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 


MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT 
NTT Assistant Teaching Professor (Ref #00061252) 

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Missouri University of Science and Technology (formerly the University of Missouri-Rolla) 
invites applications for a non-tenure-track (NTT) teaching assistant professor position (exceptional candidates may be considered for a higher rank). NTT 
teaching faculty members contribute to the core activity of teaching and are expected to be fully engaged in the department’s curriculum development 
and delivery. The successful candidate should have skills and experience that add value to the department’s teaching mission. The initial appointment will 
be for one year and is potentially renewable for a multiple year appointment, with an expected affiliation with the department over an extended period. 

Applicants for this position are expected to provide high-quality teaching at the undergraduate level in the area of design in mechanical and/or aerospace 
engineering. Examples of the courses that are expected to be taught include introduction to engineering design for general engineering students, 
introduction to mechanical design, aircraft/spacecraft design, and other design courses at higher levels. As NTT teaching faculty at Missouri S&T may be 
promoted, it is anticipated that the successful candidate would achieve a sustained level of recognition by students and peers as a stimulating, inspiring 
and effective teacher, as well as develop excellence in the production of effective learning materials, improved teaching techniques, and state-of-the-art 
delivery systems. The typical workload for this position is four (3 credit hour) courses per semester during the academic year. The position may include 
laboratory supervisory responsibilities, undergraduate advising, or professional and service activities related to the teaching assignment. It is expected that 
the teaching assignments will be a minimum of 75% of the workload of this position. 

An earned doctorate in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, or closely related field, is required for this position. Ability to teach at the undergraduate 
level in a variety of areas of mechanical/aerospace engineering is desired, with particular interest in teaching in the area of design. Successful prior teaching 
experience will be an important consideration, and industrial experience is also desirable. 

The department currently has 38 full-time faculty members (three of which are teaching faculty), over 800 undergraduate and approximately 200 graduate 
students. The Department offers the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in both Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. A recently completed $29 million 
construction and renovation project has produced a state-of-the-art Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering complex with 144,000 square feet of teaching 
and research laboratory space. Details regarding the department can be found at http://mae.mst.edu. 

The search committee will begin the review process immediately upon receipt of applications, and the search will remain open until the position is 
filled. Please submit an application consisting of a current curriculum vitae, a statement of teaching interests and philosophy, and contact information for 
five professional references. All application materials must be electronically submitted to Missouri S&T’s Human Resource Office at: 

http://hraadi.mst.edu/hr/employment/. Acceptable electronic formats that can be used for email attachments include PDF and Word; hardcopy application 
materials will not be accepted. 

The final candidate is required to provide official transcript(s) for any college degree(s) listed in application materials submitted. Copies of transcript(s) 
must be provided prior to the start of employment. In addition, the final candidate may be required to verify other credentials listed in application materials. 
Failure to provide official transcript(s) or other required verification may result in the withdrawal of the job offer. 

Missouri S&T is an AA/EO Employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, 
or status as Vietnam-era veteran. Females, minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Missouri S&T is responsive to the needs 
of dual-career couples. Missouri University of Science and Technology participates in E-Verify. For more information on E-Verify, 

please contact DHS at: 1-800-464-3218. 

NOTE: All application materials must refer to position reference number (R00061252) in order to be processed. 


Faculty Position in Engineering and Ethics of Unmanned Aircraft Systems 


The Pennsylvania State University (www.psu.edu) is embarking on a transformative 
series of co-funded hires in ethics designed to ensure that Penn State becomes a 
leader in ethics-informed interdisciplinary research and the integration of ethical 
literacy throughout the curriculum. 

The Department of Aerospace Engineering and the Rock Ethics Institute (the “Rock”) 
invite nominations and applications for an open-rank tenure-track position starting 
in 2015. The Department seeks an outstanding individual who is committed to 
undergraduate and graduate education and to the establishment of an externally- 
funded research program that supports graduate education. Candidates must 
possess technical expertise related to the design and engineering of unmanned 
air vehicles and systems, as well as demonstrable complementary interests in 
the societal and ethical aspects of such systems. The Department seeks to build 
on its strengths to expand into new areas — candidates who can contribute to 
interdisciplinary and collaborative programs involving UAS and ethics are of 
primary interest. The research area represented by this search could be viewed 
as a special aspect of a broader one at the intersection of robotics, autonomy, and 
ethics. Applicants must have an earned doctorate in aerospace engineering or a 
related field; at least one degree in aerospace engineering or related experience is 
preferred. Responses received before January 201 5 are assured full consideration, 
but the search will remain open until the position is filled. Applicants should submit 
electronically a single pdf file to job #54151 at http://apptrkr.com/533093 . 
The file should contain: a cover letter; a C V; statements of research and teaching 
interests; a statement of how the candidate’s work is relevant to the Rock’s vision 
and how such a position would enhance their own work; and the names and contact 
information for at least three references. 

This is one of twelve tenure-track appointments funded by the University to augment 
the Penn State mission in the important area of ethics. Co-funded faculty members 
will be hosted as affiliates of the Penn State Rock Ethics Institute (rockethics.psu. 
edu). We seek candidates who will build on the Rock’s tradition of excellence in 
collaborative, interdisciplinary ethics research and ethically informed decision 
support for significant societal issues, as well as its success in integrating ethics 


into the curriculum. We seek individuals who will be effective working on and leading 
interdisciplinary teams that embed ethical analysis into research projects, including 
decision support research, and who have experience and interest in integrating 
ethics in curricula. In order to enhance collaboration with faculty and students on 
existing ethics research and curricular initiatives as well as building new initiatives 
and programs in conjunction with the Institute’s mission, co-funded faculty members 
will receive a one-course teaching release for the first five years. 

Penn State at University Park is a land-grant institution located within the beautiful 
Appalachian mountains of central Pennsylvania. State College and nearby 
communities within Centre County are home to roughly 100,000 people, including 
over 40,000 students, and offer a rich variety of cultural, recreational, educational, 
and athletic activities. State College is a wonderful community offering a high quality 
of life. 

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS: For more about safety at Penn State, and 
to review the Annual Security Report which contains information about crime statistics 
and other safety and security matters, please go to http://www.police.psu.edu/clery/ , 
which will also provide you with detail on how to request a hard copy of the Annual 
Security Report. 

Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed 
to providing employment opportunities to minorities, women, veterans, disabled 
individuals, and other protected groups. 

pennState 



AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 85 



Career Opportunities 



FACULTY POSITION 

DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING 

TEXAS A&M - DWIGHT LOOK COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING 

The Department of Aerospace Engineering in the Dwight Look College of Engineering is continuing to strategically 
increase in size and strength. This year, the department invites applications for an open-rank tenure -track position 
from exceptional individuals who have demonstrated expertise in aerothermal sciences with applications to aerospace 
systems. The successful applicant will be expected to teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels, develop an 
independent, externally funded research program, advise graduate students, participate in all aspects of the 
department’s mission, and serve the profession. 

Texas A&M is located in the twin cities of Bryan and College Station, with a population of more than 175,000, and is 
conveniently located in a triangle formed by Dallas, Houston and Austin. Texas A&M has more than 50,000 graduate 
and undergraduate students enrolled. Research expenditures at Texas A&M total more than $820 million annually, 
ranking in the top tier of universities nationwide. With an endowment valued at more than $5 billion, the university 
ranks fourth among U.S. public universities and 10th overall. With 380 tenured/tenure-track faculty members and 
more than 12,000 students, the Dwight Look College of Engineering is one of the largest engineering schools in the 
country. The college is ranked seventh in graduate studies and eighth in undergraduate programs among public 
institutions by U.S. News & World Report, with seven of the college’s 13 departments ranked in the Top 10. The Look 
College is ranked second in research expenditures by the American Society for Engineering Education. 

The Department of Aerospace Engineering was formed in 1940. It has 34 core faculty members, 6 jointly appointed 
faculty members, including 3 National Academy of Engineering Members. We currently enjoy an enrollment of over 
700 undergraduate and 150 graduate students. Our students are offered a modern curriculum that is balanced across 
the three principal disciplines of aerospace engineering: aerodynamics and propulsion, dynamics and control, and 
materials and structures. In recent years, the department has built a strong national program based on the quality of its 
faculty and programs; among public institutions, its graduate aerospace engineering program ranks 7 th in the most 
recent U.S. News & World Report rankings. More information about the department is available at 
http://engineering.tarnu.edu/aerospace . 

Applicants who apply a balanced approach among experiment, computation, and theory are especially encouraged to 
apply. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate with renowned colleagues whose research 
thrust areas include transition and turbulence, combustion and propulsion, multifunctional and extreme -environment 
materials, advanced and high-performance computations and diagnostics, autonomous systems, space systems and 
satellites, and high-speed vehicle systems. Aerospace Engineering is also home to unique and nationally important 
experimental facilities, including advanced instrumentation and diagnostics. 

Applicants must have earned a doctorate in aerospace engineering or a closely related field. 

Applicants should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, teaching statement, research statement, and a list of five 
references (including postal addresses, phone numbers and email addresses) by applying for this specific position at 
www.tamengineeringiobs.com . Full consideration will be given to applications received by January 20, 2015. 
Applications received after that date may be considered until positions are filled. It is anticipated the appointment will 
begin fall 2015. 

The members of Texas A&M Engineering are all Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employers. It 
is the policy of these members in all aspects of operations each person shall be considered solely on the basis of 
qualifications, without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disabilities or veteran status. 



THE AIAA SUGGESTION PROGRAM 

AIAA welcomes suggestions from members 
on how we can better serve you. 

All comments will be acknowledged. 

We will do our best to address issues 
that are important to our membership. 

Please send your comments to: 

Merri Sanchez 

VP Member Services 
AIAA 

1801 Alexander Bell Drive , Suite 500 
Reston , VA 201 91 -4344 


H 



At work, 
it’s what 
people 
can do 
that 

matters. 

Learn how your organization 
can help advance the 
employment of people with 
disabilities and access 
resources to assist in 
recruiting, retaining and 
promoting skilled, qualified 
employees. 

What can# 

you do: 

The Campaign for 
Disability Employment 

www.whatcanyoudocampaign.org 

© NCLR =£ SM3 
N rusBLN SB jaa 

The Campaign for Disability Employment is funded under contract #DOLJ079426341 
from the Office of Disability Employment Policy/U.S. Department of Labor. 


86 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 




■J 

*«*»"«* 0 

■ 1 fcliUH lili-'jri. . Luj-Ur, ua KL-j. 

^D. - .rTRiir M ■ *, 

Vi f pL?r 1 pn< yi W( jlliw^ 

■ ihiktH lFp C>j|l«i. 
f *Ml^ 1! H^hli 

M* r«ciM »i£i^b 

h-U -1 L*± 

i^pll F& Pri'n^ Il%- 

*■ I HM 'M&StfeJ ".'ll 


ajitti 

1. 

f ■ 

Pp 

Ml IM 5- 'a-H ¥ c '■'!?? ;r ^ 1 '■ |, ** 

J +V w "j"' - -«■ 'JO -t-lvr* .T*yi pwlwv 1 ^ »Ti C>^ nrv-I ■. J .'._«:‘fH 

■«« 


*£ 

LWW .1 itu -1 F J J-Msijvu™ ‘,M i rt h; :■ J fwr- i jr„ , i Va S 1 ^ Jl 

'-Li-iIi-vt-'-it! mrrn'if'Fi'iS'i rri-^j->i 

& 

o 

is 

y » CiwK,-|. :„ri.JTH [iilrp **) Ciro"*(J Ddr.'OAMOymw LV'U* 


lava 

- 

fcflCfl Dy CJ'fll 1UI1B4 e* - MjI 1 tHf! If* Lim. li |P ■ 111 

cu» iLifi: 

9 

Hi 


&**$ 

KpxmV 

iVu 

Ul 

t'ti 

it 

F'lU V Mt/WWfldlr ft ttakrT™ it^TtI * fii I'n^SSH 1 

I’-fl 

I'M SI 

ia 

- H V UVUNUI V LiaHrUinl u.1.1 V, l-'t ■>*'1 JS- 1 

4 

a 

Hi 

Fn**<l Jtil i IliJW l’« ii/i T. ,-r.PS 

4 

Q 

:u 

K«r Hi Fjia 0tHI44 PK H l4rL J 

?i J 

Ml 

* Trc*' r '» w «jmn Rwa trr^ ri i?. lP .-Ciis; 

KW 

’?W 


EiHfl 

i«we 

i Cjm rwOauu.tSW4-r.Aj.kH, v(uwn«iufi a* } 

lift? 

lift! 

*r I Ml 1 "i.* y -* *‘Cf 

JJJM 

net 

. Pn’oprl l#Jd - 

[ 1 M . L P 

»$ 

Tit 

“ J ^ 

h >t*: oAfc#** 1 u" r-> '■ ’navvi wft i" pi*« — ?.£>:.»: bj-H-.ji ro,miJ 

n^r.nVrfm 

illta uj_ii -J kj r .I,kj it 

Xi 1*94' ll'M. •'•-V!-#". 4v* '+\r Wi.-o^#r ^ >"#* 

„ .££=£> 

'■l 1 '-"- ' , <?./ l+W <v- On « f/j 

Vi S'/// 

ui\ iHyl-'r'iir v rah-M iv: *>* ji-cfc* l ■ivhii'iINlA^ 

f*-,w wVl !■%# ttli Jl Cf ill :* iri^h'n but hi ■■ifh.l N*r1 i JTCL-W-r .lOWI P-"tH 1-T Jr^^n.T^'V j rtfjVutM 

=V 1 ^ TT, JS *J 7J jT, n.l 1 7 1-’ ■JT ■ p*;. 


1 ijbT 1 iyfir^i ] 

Jiag 4 /an T£& T/i7ifi otat* "Hi nt or u ato rship, M ana gemern r an d C ire illation 

J&iT POS'Kl SOttfCE ^ (All Par i n d i rsals pLihli. ^tiQr s FxcBpI Requester PobficatioriB) 

c ’LR LLLh 


A m 

VijCii'V rSiCClLLiSjiJL'Sli 

? C» vICHdi j.'-j AdJ”:-ij I |i .. w - fr.ji -■' I W -4 ' ^- p.Y -/ f ..i-/ |.iii 

4':KJ|^i- bi^.Mv jlAiJilmjfni b AlltoniLlbci 

VAWf.fl1-aW4 

J >3 .y-rLiitj 

A jltT-ih 3upungt«-r>n 

Slit 

■f' TV t-’v'-V ♦■pir.*'* 

di - BcSOnrii it liGiL PSmUiT. 

a 

C*v*, -*■», 

Zttyr+s* .dra-i i-.-idL 

j.rra-W4 r?4Jfp 

Am rmsjn HrrJdi.T t? Aflr^nj Jl>M 5 AE H60aLH'CS. 1 M ' AICp**: ' »n n* . Sufr S00. P*5lpn. "IA 201W -ITU* 

„ m 

1 r. k. -fc» i iJ to, ^hri. ns- . -„ AMw '.w mJ is -o -f^ra. 

Snid* ■ H. Un^nyi, Ammian rnEHil^ of 4 A«VDr*si<SiL IKl 1 Afiiiiirtif Ik OiiviCi Suite SCO, "cAd^, b r jn. 

----■--^1 g 

1 rz- "»■■* ? u.wu; 

■TV n i.m-nri'u AIAA ngic- 

^ L Jlsf Aj-: j.-'t 1 .sw --.i *: jmhjj jv 

dfC^ /i'HiOn -VaOfr&lrl fiillljli 0( AtrL'P jiiL c j ! A;ibrnnuHicv 1S2-1 At: It under DclOr^a. Sure jtJ 1 /. RjSflpr. VA 

Jlini|-LS++ Q 

-j » 'Hi-Em-i^i-c-iiiiTT! ;,#.■ i,-j. Aiiflir'«±i 3 jr-;-' i-rir* 

.- jtriij j.-a ioa-fciif 1 n- jim- fa h i:' L * wt'4 ^ ,i}-: vh.L: ■ t?toi: rtf r .x: ru"tf a-tf pj.r >u & j er’ at ■ “ly >' 

51C^' r ». 'If 0 lG*:*V- .3 L -v&-<tJiJ : a -W- f -r-TJ- C-aor: »T-i 


c.mrii u w it) AjJs i. 

Air,IUV^I.n 'Hi hJV> 3? Anrsiu jlif. Jt Aturan iIh' i. 

1 

>; 

% 

! 

S 

0 

rwu. Sj'la SW. 

9T-1H4 


Heston VA Hii 







■1 rnt-a/mpiiffr^v.^Hfn *>4Cn«rSiiV4 r 3lcHW'iTVi-4 if aiM.T*jCti ifcHM^ipgii v 

J /v- br 1, ^ ^ wl ^ 

r^Hin 












7 1 ii rbl.i - b.'TUi' w, r,- >n:T.'Tiij.-i,^ ir imrn-r:viii -.iW'r-^nU .i v . 1 f f . 

|rndf.i|XUi Ti^ilflTi ina TVtitrtjl 01>l t ^.llHAjqi^ fi-arp: ITJ Hi- T.KJ pn-iTin i a. i r>i»i 

:■'■ ■toNl^r(flA>'it"-K»ii 'i Mofc-4 

n;. 1 >n? a-: ;*■ 1 v 1- p< j - ■ t MfA fOC-Wj; Nome: 7.J 





Book of the Month 


Special Savings For AIAA Members Only 


December 


Finite Element Structural 
Analysis: New Concepts 

J.S. Przemieniecki 

Member Sale: $49.95 

List: $ 79.95 

ISBN: 978-1-56347-997-7 


Visit arc.aiaa.org to Purchase 


FimELMsrSm’CTim 

Anaim 

XnGranro 


14-204 


&AIAA- 


AIAA PUBLICATIONS 


AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2014 87 



CONNECT NETWORK 


Af'LllEX/E and grow 

ML n I E V C YOUR CAREER 


AND LEAVE 
A LEGACY 



14-223 





In October, AIAA Executive Director Sandy Magnus gave a presentation entitled 
“Perspectives from Space” at an AIAA Carolina Section dinner at the Boeing South 
Carolina’s 787 Dreamliner Final Assembly Tour Balcony in North Charleston, SC. 
(More information on page B5) 


DECEMBER 2014 


AIAA Meeting Schedule 

B2 

AIAA News 

B5 

AIAA Courses and Training 

B15 

Program 



AIAA Directory 


AIAA HEADQUARTERS 

1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Suite 500 
Reston, VA 20191-4344 
www.aiaa.org 


To join AIAA; to submit address changes, mem- 
ber inquiries, or renewals; to request journal fulfill- 
ment; or to register for an AIAA conference. 

Customer Service: 800/639-AIAAf 


OtflGr Important NumborS! Aerospace America / Greg Wilson, ext. 7596* • AIAA Bulletin / Christine Williams, 
ext. 7575* * AIAA Foundation / Karen Thomas, ext. 7520* * Book Sales / 800.682.AIAA or 703.661.1595, Dept. 415 • 
Corporate Members / Merrie Scott, ext. 7530* • International Affairs / Betty Guillie, ext. 7573*; Emily Springer, ext. 7533* 

* Editorial, Books and Journals / Heather Brennan, ext. 7568* * Honors and Awards / Carol Stewart, ext. 7623* * Journal 
Subscriptions, Member / 800.639.AIAA * Exhibits / Journal Subscriptions, Institutional / Online Archive Subscriptions / 
Michele Dominiak, ext. 7531* • Continuing Education / Chris Brown, ext. 7504* • Public Policy / Steve Sidorek, ext. 7625* 

* Section Activities / Chris Jessee, ext. 3848* * Standards, Domestic / Amy Barrett, ext. 7546* * Standards, International 
/ Nick Tongson, ext. 7515* * Student Programs / Stephen Brock, ext. 7536* • Technical Committees / Betty Guillie, ext. 
7573* 


* Also accessible via Internet. Use 
the formula first name last initial@ 
aiaa.org. Example: megans@ 
aiaa.org. 

t U.S. only. International callers 
should use 703/264-7500. 

Addresses for Technical 
Committees and Section Chairs 
can be found on the AIAA Web 
site at http://www.aiaa.org. 


We are frequently asked how to submit articles about section events, member awards, and other special interest items in the AIAA Bulletin. Please contact 
the staff liaison listed above with Section, Committee, Honors and Awards, Event, or Education information. They will review and forward the information to 
the AIAA Bulletin Editor. 



Event & Course Schedule 



DATE 

MEETING 

(Issue of AIAA Bulletin in 
which program appears) 

LOCATION ABSTRACT 

DEADLINE 

2015 



3-4 Jan 

Aircraft and Rotorcraft System Identification: Engineering Methods Kissimmee, FL 
and Hands-On Training Using CIFER® 

3-4 Jan 

Best Practices in Wind Tunnel Testing 

Kissimmee, FL 

3-4 Jan 

Third International Workshop on High-Order CFD Methods 

Kissimmee, FL 

4 Jan 

Introduction to Integrated Computational Materials Engineering 

Kissimmee, FL 

5-9 Jan 

AIAA SciTech 2015 

(AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition) 

Featuring: 

23rd AIAA/AHS Adaptive Structures Conference 

53rd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting 

AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference 

AIAA lnfotech@ Aerospace Conference 

2nd AIAA Spacecraft Structures Conference 

AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference 

AIAA Modeling and Simulation Technologies Conference 

17th AIAA Non-Deterministic Approaches Conference 

Kissimmee, FL 2 Jun 14 


56th AIAA/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference 

8th Symposium on Space Resource Utilization 

33rd Wind Energy Symposium 

8—9 Jan 

Fundamentals and Applications of Modern Flow Control 

Kissimmee, FL 

11-15 Janf 

25th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting 

Williamsburg, VA 15 Sep 14 

(Contact: AAS— Roberto Furfaro, 520.312.7440; 

AIAA— Stefano Casotto, Stefano.casotto@unipd.it; 
http://space-flight.org/docs/201 5_winter/201 5_winter.html) 

26-29 Janf 

61st Annual Reliability & Maintainability Symposium (RAMS 2015) 

Palm Harbor, FL (Contact: Julio Pulido, 952 270 1630, 
julio.e.pulido@gmail.com, www.rams.org) 

7-14 Mart 

2015 IEEE Aerospace Conference 

Big Sky, MT (Contact: Erik Nilsen, 818.354.4441, 
erik.n.nilsen@jpl.nasa.gov, www.aeroconf.org) 

8-9 Mar 

Overview of Missile Design and System Engineering 

Laurel, MD 

10-12 Mar 

AIAA DEFENSE 2015 

(AIAA Defense and Security Forum) 

Featuring: 

AIAA Missile Sciences Conference 

AIAA National Forum on Weapon System Effectiveness 

AIAA Strategic and Tactical Missile Systems Conference 

Laurel, MD 4 Nov 14 

11 Mar 

AIAA Congressional Visits Day 

Washington, DC 

25-27 Mart 

3rd Int. Conference on Buckling and Postbuckling Behaviour of 

Braunschweig, Germany (Contact: Richard Degenhardt, 


Composite Laminated Shell Structures with DESICOS Workshop 

+49 531 295 3059, Richard.degenhardt@dlr.de, www.desicos.eu 

30 Mar-2 Apr 

23rd AIAA Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technology 
Conference and Seminar 

Daytona Beach, FL 30 Sep 14 

30 Mar-1 Aprt 

50th 3AF Conference on Applied Aerodynamics - Forthcoming 

Toulouse, France (Contact: Anne Venables, +33 1 56 64 12 30, 


Challenges for Aerodynamics 

Secr.exec@aaaf.asso.fr, www.3af-aerodynamics201 5.com) 

13-15 Aprt 

EuroGNC 2015, 3rd CEAS Specialist Conference on 

Toulouse, France (Contact: Daniel Alazard, +33 (0)5 61 33 


Guidance, Navigation and Control 

80 94, alazard@isae.fr, w3.onera.fr/eurognc2015) 

13-17 Aprt 

2015 IAA Planetary Defense Conference 

Frascati, Italy (Contact: William Ailor, 310.336.1135, 
william.h.ailor@aero.org, www.pdc201 5.org) 

6 May 

Aerospace Spotlight Awards Gala 

Washington, DC 

25-27 Mayt 

22nd St. Petersburg International Conference on 

St. Petersburg, Russia, (Contact: Prof. V. G. Peshekhonov, 


Integrated Navigation Systems 

7 812 238 8210, icins@eprib.ru, www. Elektropribor.spb.ru) 

4 Jun 

Aerospace Today ... and Tomorrow— An Executive Symposium 

Williamsburg, VA 

16-19 Junt 

7th International Conference on Recent Advances in 

Istanbul, Turkey (Contact: Capt. M. Serhan Yildiz, +90 212 


Space Technologies - RAST 2015 

6632490/4365, syildiz@hho.edu.tr or rast2015@rast.org.tr) 


B2 AIM BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2014 



lAABuIletin 


DATE 


MEETING 

(Issue of AIAA Bulletin in 
which program appears) 


LOCATION 


ABSTRACT 

DEADLINE 


22-26 Jun AIAA AVIATION 2015 Dallas, TX 

(AIAA Aviation and Aeronautics Forum and Exposition) 

Featuring: 

21st AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference 

31st AIAA Aerodynamic Measurement Technology and Ground Testing Conference 
33rd AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Conference 
AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference 
7th AIAA Atmospheric and Space Environments Conference 
15th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference 
AIAA Balloon Systems Conference 
AIAA Complex Aerospace Systems Exchange 
22nd AIAA Computational Fluid Dynamics Conference 
AIAA Flight Testing Conference 
45th AIAA Fluid Dynamics Conference 
22nd AIAA Lighter-Than-Air Systems Technology Conference 
16th AIAA/ISSMO Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization Conference 
AIAA Modeling and Simulation Technologies Conference 
46th AIAA Plasmadynamics and Lasers Conference 
45th AIAA Thermophysics Conference 


13 Nov 14 


28 Jun-2 Julf 

International Forum on Aeroelasticity and Structural 

Dynamics (IFASD) 

Saint Petersburg, Russia (Contact: Dr. Svetlana Kuzmina, 
+7 495 556-4072, kuzmina@tsagi.ru, www.ifasd2015.com) 

6-9 Jul 

20th AIAA International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems 
and Technologies Conference 

Glasgow, Scotland 8 Dec14 

12-16 Julf 

International Conference on Environmental Systems 

Bellevue, WA (Contact: Andrew Jackson, 806.834.6575, 
Andrew.jackson@ttu.edu, www.depts.ttu.edu/ceweb/ices) 

27-29 Jul 

AIAA Propulsion and Energy 2015 

(AIAA Propulsion and Energy Forum and Exposition) 

Featuring: 

51st AIAA/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference 

13th International Energy Conversion Engineering Conference 

Orlando, FL 7 Jan 15 

9-13 Augf 

2015 AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference 

Vail, CO (Contact: Dr. W. Todd Cerven, william.t.cerven@ 
aero.org, www.space-flight.org/docs/201 5_astro/201 5_astro.html) 

31 Aug-2 Sep 

AIAA SPACE 2015 

(AIAA Space and Astronautics Forum and Exposition) 

Pasadena, CA 10 Feb 15 

7-10 Sept 

33rd AIAA International Communications Satellite Systems 
Conference and Exhibition (ICSSC-2015) 

Gold Coast, Australia (Contact: Geri Geschke, +61 7 3414 0700, 
Geri.geschke@emsolutions.com.au, www.satcomspace.org) 

12-16 Octf 

66th International Astronautical Congress, Jerusalem, Israel 

(Contact: www.iac2015.org) 


2016 


4-8 Jan AIAA SciTech 2016 San Diego, CA 

(AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition) 

Featuring: 

24th AIAA/AHS Adaptive Structures Conference 

54th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting 

AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference 

15th Dynamics Specialists Conference 

AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference 

AIAA lnfotech@Aerospace Conference 

AIAA Modeling and Simulation Technologies Conference 

18th AIAA Non-Deterministic Approaches Conference 

57th AIAA/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference 
9th Symposium on Space Resource Utilization 
4th AIAA Spacecraft Structures Conference 
34th Wind Energy Symposium 

For more information on meetings listed above, visit our website at www.aiaa.org/calendar or call 800.639.AIAA or 703.264.7500 (outside U.S.). 
fMeetings cosponsored by AIAA. Cosponsorship forms can be found at https://www.aiaa.org/Co-SponsorshipOpportunities/. 

AIAA Continuing Education courses. 


AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2014 B3 


mmm 




2015 


5-9 JANUARY 2015 






Join us at sciTech 20*1 5 — 

the largest event for aerospace research, ' 
development and technology in the world — 
when we discuss the science, technologies, policies, 
and regulations that are shaping the future of 
aerospace. Walk away with innovative solutions 
that will create new opportunities and overcome 
challenges. 

Technical Program 

The technical program contains more than 2,500 
technical papers from about 800 government, 
academic, and private institutions in 40 countries 
reporting on the latest in aerospace research, and 
offering scores of opportunities for collaboration and 
discussion on 300 high-impact topics. 


KISSIMMEE,, FLORIDA ' 

* ' 1 1 * 


Plenary Prograin Topic: 


Science and Techn^jbgy Policy 


International 


Aerospai 


r 


t 

I 


Gj 

[j 


• The Future of Design 

h 1 ' 1 I 

• Diversity and Inclusion in the Aerospace 
Workforce 

• Entrepreneurial Aerospace 

/ - * i 

Forum 360 Topics : 1 

• U.S. Aerospace Technology Roadmaps 

• Climate Change and National Security 

• Big Data Analytics in Aerospace 

• The Digital System Model: The New Frontier in 
Aerospace & Defense Acquisition 

• Advanced Manufacturing and its Impact on the 
Design Process of the Future 

• An Industry Perspective on A&D Business 
Opportunities 

• NASA Research Plans for Assured Autonomy for 
Aviation Transformation 

• Entrepreneurship and Business in Engineering 
Education 


Early-bird registration deadline is 22 December. 


REGISTER TODAY! 
aiaa-SciTech.org 


Premier Sponsor 


LOCKHEED MARTIN 


rf 4AIAA 

#»J ■ .1 J- 4 jr * 


Shaping the Future of Aerospace 


15-528 



lAABulletin 


From the Corner Office 



START YOUR YEAR OFF RIGHT AT AIAA SCITECH 2015 

At the beginning of every new year, friends and colleagues fre- 
quently gather together to reflect on the past, discuss the pres- 
ent, and dream of the future— and our aerospace community is 
no different. We will gather at the AIAA Science and Technology 
Forum and Exposition (AIAA SciTech 2015) in Kissimmee, 
Florida, from 5-9 January to do exactly that as we take part in 
the world’s largest gathering of aerospace professionals. AIAA 
SciTech 2015 will bring together more than 3,000 participants 
from 40 countries, representing over 700 institutions, and featur- 
ing 2,500 technical papers across hundreds of fields of study. 

The event combines 1 1 individual technical conferences under 
one roof in vibrant and temperate central Florida— a short drive 
from the Kennedy Space Center and surrounded by some of the 
world’s top tourist destinations. AIAA SciTech 2015 will convene 
the best and brightest from industry, academia, and government. 
It is the ideal place to engage with colleagues within your dis- 
cipline and to interact with experts in other disciplines, all in an 
effort to shape the future of aerospace. 

Whatever your role in our community is— engineer, program 
manager, scientist, executive, student, educator, analyst, policy- 
maker, or any of the thousands of other positions that make aero- 
space so exciting— AIAA SciTech 2015 will offer you conversa- 
tion, collaboration, insight, and inspiration that will help us kick off 
another amazing year of exploration, discovery, and innovation. 
Since last January we have worked to design a stellar program 
that combines frank discussions about the state of our industry, a 
detailed analysis of the prospects for the future, and deep insight 
into the emerging technology and programs that can make that 
future successful. 

AIAA SciTech 201 5’s plenary sessions will tackle some of the 
most critical questions facing the future of our community: What 
should our nation’s science and technology policies be? How will 
emerging actors in the international aerospace community drive 
competition and technology advancement? What is the future of 
design in our community— and what are we likely to see in the 
years ahead as technology and scientific knowledge continue 


to evolve? How can we assure that the future workforce will be 
diverse, vibrant, and able to meet the future needs of employ- 
ers? Each of these subjects is vital to understanding the future of 
our community, and the chance to learn about all of them, in the 
same place, in the same week, is a unique opportunity available 
to you only at AIAA SciTech 2015. 

Those plenary-level discussions will be explored in more 
depth in our dynamic Forum 360 sessions. Topics will include 
how “Big Data” will impact aerospace, how aerospace can help 
ensure “environmental security,” how the “Digital System Model” 
will transform the future of acquisition, and how the explosion of 
information and communication technology will shape the direc- 
tion of aerospace science and technology and help more people 
connect and collaborate across great distances. These Forum 
360 sessions will give you valuable information and insight that 
you can harness to make an immediate impact on the work you 
do every day. 

The technical sessions will ensure you are in-the-know about 
the latest cutting-edge research and innovative thinking happen- 
ing in our community. Featuring more than 2,500 papers— across 
300 topics areas— these presentations and talks will educate, 
inform, and engage students and professionals alike. 

The networking sessions are perfect opportunities to connect 
or reconnect with peers across the industry— allowing students, 
young professionals, and seasoned veterans to share advice and 
perspectives that will help each of us grow. Only SciTech 2015 
will offer attendees, especially our student and young professional 
attendees, a chance to mix and mingle with the thought leaders of 
our community. We are also offering our Rising Leaders program, 
a collection of networking, mentoring, and informational events 
aimed at helping young professionals gain the skills, knowledge, 
and confidence needed to further their careers. Surveys show that 
68% of attendees immediately benefited from these opportunities 
to build/form new connections and gain new insight into persistent 
challenges. 

AIAA SciTech 2015 will also afford us opportunities to celebrate 
our community’s successes. Recognition events include the induc- 
tion of our new Associate Fellows, our award luncheons, and our 
distinguished award lectures. At these events, we will be able 
to fully celebrate the exciting and inspiring achievements of our 
coworkers, friends, and community members. 

Join us at AIAA SciTech 2015— the best venue for all of us to 
gather and celebrate the opportunity of another year for our com- 
munity to better the world, and to plan and work together to make 
2015 our community’s best year yet. For more information and to 
register, please visit www.aiaa-scitech.org. We hope to see you 
in Kissimmee! 


Executive Steering Committee 


Robert Braun Richard Christiansen 

David and Andrew Lewis Professor Vice President 

of Space Technology Sierra Lobo, Inc. 

Georgia Institute of Technology 


John Evans George Lesieutre 

Vice President, International Professor and Head, 

Engineering and Technology Aerospace Engineering 

Lockheed Martin Corporation The Pennsylvania State University 


James Shields 

Chief Executive Officer 
Charles Stark Draper Laboratory 


Tom Shih 

Professor and Head, School of 
Aeronautics and Astronautics 
Purdue University 


John Tracy 

Chief Technologist 
The Boeing Company 


AIAA CAROLINA SECTION HOSTS DINNER MEETING AT BOEING SOUTH CAROLINA 

On 22 October, the AIAA Carolina Section hosted a dinner meeting at Boeing South Carolina’s 787 Dreamliner Final Assembly Tour 
Balcony in North Charleston, SC. Sandy Magnus, AIAA Executive Director and a former NASA astronaut, gave an informative presenta- 
tion entitled “Perspectives from Space” to the 64 attendees. Attendees included AIAA members and nonmembers from area businesses, 
including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Google, Amazon, and ATK, as well as professors and students from The Citadel and University of 
South Carolina. The AIAA Public Policy Committee (PPC) held its annual meeting at Boeing’s Welcome Center earlier in the day, and 
the committee members participated in the dinner to show their support of the AIAA Carolina Section. 


AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2014 B5 



AIAA News 


AIAA ANNOUNCES ASSOCIATE FELLOWS CLASS OF 2015 


AIAA is pleased to announce the selection of the AIAA Associate Fellows class of 2015. The 147 new Associate Fellows will be 
honored at the AIAA Associate Fellows Recognition Ceremony and Dinner on Monday, 5 January 2015, at the Gaylord Palms and 
Convention Center, Kissimmee, Florida, in conjunction with AIAA SciTech 2015. 

“AIAA congratulates the newly announced class of Associate Fellows for 2015,” said AIAA President Jim Albaugh. “Each of these 
individuals has made unique contributions to aerospace and each serves as an example of how engineers make the world a better place 
each and every day. AIAA wishes them the best on their continued careers, and we are excited to see the advances they will bring next.” 

“AIAA Associate Fellows have devoted their careers to shaping the future of aerospace, investing long hours and years of work to 
achieve milestones that are often thought to be impossible,” said AIAA Executive Director Sandy Magnus. “AIAA congratulates the 2015 
class of Associate Fellows and thanks them for their dedication to advancing the known limits of flight and space engineering and sci- 
ence ever forward.” 

To be selected for the grade of Associate Fellow an individual must be an AIAA Senior Member for at least twelve months prior to 
the current deadline for Associate Fellow nomination, with at least twelve years professional experience, and be recommended by three 
current Associate Fellows. The new Associate Fellows are: 


David Akin, University of Maryland 

Steven Allmaras, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Richard Anthony, U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) 

Russell Averill, The Aerospace Corporation 

Brian Beal, U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory 

Robert Bell, Sierra Nevada Corporation 

Dale Belter, The Boeing Company 

Michael Benjamin, GE Aviation - General Electric Company 
Marc Bernstein, Massachusetts Institute of Technology— Lincoln 
Laboratory 

Naipei Peter Bi, Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division 
Warren Boley, Aerojet Rocketdyne 
Mary Bowden, University of Maryland 
Isaac Boxx, Institute of Combustion Technology, German 
Aerospace Center 

Robert Boyd, Lockheed Martin Corporation 

Tsutsumi Sophia Bright, The Boeing Company 

Eric Butte, Lockheed Martin Corporation 

Orlando Carvalho, Lockheed Martin CorporationChristopher 

Chadwick, The Boeing Company 

Chau-Lyan Chang, NASA Langley Research Center 

Carissa Bryce Christensen, The Tauri Group 

Peter Coen, NASA Langley Research Center 

Douglas Cook, Jacobs Technology Inc. 

Luis Crespo, National Institute of Aerospace 
Brett Cruden, NASA Ames Research Center 
Christopher Culbert, NASA Johnson Space Center 
Anubhav Datta, Science & Technology Corporation 
Nancy Jan Davis, Jacobs Technology Inc. 

Manuel De Ponte, The Aerospace Corporation 
Edward Dickes, Bihrle Applied Research, Inc 
Mary Lynne Dittmar, Dittmar Associates Inc. 

Christopher D’Souza, NASA Johnson Space Center 
Earl Duque, Intelligent Light 
Naveed Durrani, Institute of Space Technology 
Wayne Elbers, Lockheed Martin Corporation 
Paul Engola, Lockheed Martin Corporation 
Steven Everett, The Boeing Company 
Scott Fancher, The Boeing Company 
Walter Fichter, University of Stuttgart 
Dennis Finley, Lockheed Martin Corporation 
John Foreman, Software Engineering Institute 
William Fourney, University of Maryland 
Charles Fremaux, NASA Langley Research Center 
John Fuller, Aurora Flight Sciences 
Stephen Gaddis, NASA Langley Research Center 
Karl Garman, Federal Aviation Administration 
Jeff Gramling, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center 


David Greenblatt, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology 

Robert Gregg, The Boeing Company 

Charles Gustafson, The Aerospace Corporation 

Stanley Gustafson, The Aerospace Corporation 

Thomas Hannigan, Mississippi State University 

Jill Hardash, Booz Allen Hamilton 

Hamid Hefazi, Florida Institute of Technology 

Florian Holzapfel, Technische Universitaet Muenchen 

James Humbert, University of Maryland 

William Humphreys, NASA Langley Research Center 

Mark Jackson, Charles Stark Draper Laboratory 

Richard Jaffe, NASA Ames Research Center 

Jonathan Mark Janus, Mississippi State University 

Donald Jaworske, NASA Glenn Research Center 

Christopher Jones, Northrop Grumman Corporation 

Thomas Joslyn, U.S. Air Force Academy 

Nicole Key, Purdue University 

Scott Klavon, SAE International 

Monte Kopke, Lockheed Martin Corporation 

Curt Kothera, InnoVital Systems Inc. 

Robert Kraus, U.S. Air Force Academy 

William Krenz, The Aerospace Corporation 

Norbert Kroll, The German Aerospace Center 

Jason Kuchera, Lockheed Martin Corporation 

Rajan Kumar, Florida State University 

Laurette Lahey, The Boeing Company 

Tracy Lamm, Lockheed Martin Corporation 

Michael LaPointe, NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center 

Oliver Leembruggen, Booz Allen Hamilton 

Elizabeth Lee-Rausch, NASA Langley Research Center 

Sanjiva Lele, Stanford University 

Ye Li, National Wind Technology Center 

Kevin Lowe, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 

Wolfram Lunscher, COM DEV 

Lester Lyles, The Lyles Group 

Arup Maji, University of New Mexico 

Cindy Malawy, The Boeing Company 

Alexandre Martin, University of Kentucky 

Leigh McCue, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 

Douglas McKinnon, Lockheed Martin Corporation 

Michelle McMillan, SynGenics Corporation 

Michael McWithey, Lockheed Martin Corporation 

Hua Meng, Zhejiang University 

David Mindell, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Piero Miotto, Charles Stark Draper Laboratory 

Howard Mitchell, The Aerospace Corporation 

Padraig Moloney, Lockheed Martin Corporation 

Sivakumaran Nadarajah, McGill University 


B6 AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2014 


AlAABulletin 


Sameer Naik, Purdue University 
Ali Najafi, ANSYS, Inc. 

Andrew Neely, University of New South Wales 
Eric Nielsen, NASA Langley Research Center 
Michael Niestroy, Lockheed Martin Corporation 
Fred Nitzsche, Carleton University 
John Olson, Sierra Nevada Corporation 
Juliet Page, Wyle Laboratories, Inc. 

Michael Philen, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 

Dawn Phillips, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center 

Orval Powell, U.S. Air Force Academy 

Charles Precourt, ATK Space Systems 

Marco Quadrelli, Jet Propulsion Laboratory 

Rolf Radespiel, Technical University of Braunschweig 

Raul Radovitzky, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Joshua Rovey, Missouri University of Science & Technology 

Kristin Rozier, NASA Ames Research Center 

Eric Ruggiero, General Electric Company 

Ryan Russell, University of Texas at Austin 

Oussama Safadi, University of Southern California 

Rahul Saha, Orbital Sciences Corporation 

Barbara Sande, Lockheed Martin Corporation 

Paul Savage, Strapdown Associates, Inc. 

Robert Schunk, Utah State University 
James Sergeant, Lockheed Martin Corporation 
Suneel Ismail Sheikh, ASTER Labs, Inc. 

Sarah Shull, NASA Johnson Space Center 


Jayant Sirohi, University of Texas at Austin 

John Sordyl, Williams International 

Zoltan Spakovszky, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Rani Warsi Sullivan, Mississippi State University 

Xiaofeng Sun, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics 

Jeffrey Sutton, Ohio State University 

Sergei Tanygin, Analytical Graphics, Inc. 

Ashish Tewari, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 
Michael Thacker, Textron Aviation 
Mark Thomson, Jet Propulsion Laboratory 
Vikas Tomar, Purdue University 

John Robert Troeltzsch, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation 
Christopher Raymond Tschan, The Aerospace Corporation 
William Vantine, ARES Corporation 
Sagar Vidyasagar, Lockheed Martin Corporation 
Charles Vono, Northrop Grumman Technical Services 
Eric Walker, NASA Langley Research Center 
Craig Wanke, The MITRE Corporation 
Jonathan Watmuff, RMIT University 
Mingjun Wei, New Mexico State University 
Kyle Wetzel, Wetzel Engineering, Inc. & Wetzel Blade LLC 
William Wood, NASA Langley Research Center 
Azer Philip Yalin, Colorado State University 
Sherrie Zacharius, The Aerospace Corporation 
Christopher Michael Zeller, Ball Aerospace & Technologies 
Corporation 

Xinguo Zhang, Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) 


For more information on the AIAA Associate Fellows program, please contact Patricia A. Carr at triciac@aiaa.org, or 703.264.7523. 



Each year, the Institute recognizes exemplary 
professionals for their accomplishments in 
engineering or scientific work, outstanding 
merit and contributions to the art, science, 
or technology of aeronautics or astronautics. 

The Class of 201 5 Associate Fellows will be 
officially recognized during the Associate Fellows 
Recognition Ceremony and Dinner, to be held in 
conjunction with AIAA SciTech 2015 on Monday 
evening, 5 January 201 5, at the Gaylord Palms and 
Convention Center, Kissimmee, FL. 

For a complete listing of the Class of 201 5 Associate 
Fellows, please visit the AIAA website. 

Please support your colleagues, and join us for the 
induction of the 2015 Associate Fellows. Tickets to 
this celebrated event are available on a first-come, 
first-served basis and can be purchased for $1 25 
via the AIAA SciTech 201 5 registration form or 
onsite based on availability. 

Business attire is requested. For more information, 
please contact Patricia A. Carr, Program Manager, 
Membership Advancement Program, at 
triciac@aiaa.org or 703.264.7523 

Shaping the Future of Aerospace 

14-464 


AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2014 B 7 




AIAA News 


AAAF-AIAA RELATIONS 

Interview by Jean-Pierre Sanfourche (3AF) with Mireille Gerard (for- 
mer Director, International Activities, AIAA) regarding the history of 
collaboration between the Association Aeronautique et Astronautique 
de France (3AF) and AIAA. Translated from French. 

Jean-Pierre Sanfourche (JPS): I suppose that if the French 
association is called ... Aeronautique et Astronautique ..., it is to 
use similar semantics as in AIAA? 

Mireille Gerard (MG): It is quite possible that the two merging 
French associations were inspired by AIAA to select their new 
name, all the more so since the two words: “aeronautique” and 
“astronautique” were part of their initial titles. 

JPS: What year did the first contact between AIAA and AAAF 
take place? 

MG: I do not recall precisely. ... However, I remember well a 
specific contact which took place before the merger in 1971 . A 
sizable delegation from AIAA, led by James J. Harford, Executive 
Director, came to Paris in 1963, and met officials from the Societe 
Francaise d’Astronautique (SFA). This was on the occasion of 
the 14th Congress of the International Astronautical Federation, 
hosted by the SFA in the UNESCO building. The major attraction 
of the Congress was the presence of Yuri Gagarin! 

JPS: Is there a Memorandum of Understanding? 

MG: Yes, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between 
AIAA and 3AF was signed in June 2007 by AIAA Vice President- 
International Vincent Boles and 3AF President Dr. Michel Scheller 
at the Paris Air Show that year. The MOU calls for cooperation 
and collaboration in the following areas: “information exchange, 
organization and hosting of conferences and workshops, partici- 
pation in student events, and other topics of mutual interest”. 

Leaders from AIAA and 3AF meet periodically at a high level 
to discuss continued collaboration. The last such meeting was in 
April 2012 ... Prior meetings included a visit by AIAA Presidents 
Roger Simpson in 2006 and David Thompson in October 2009. 

JPS: Can you speak to past and current cooperation and col- 
laboration? 

MG: Since 2005, 3AF and AIAA have co-organized the 
Aircraft Noise and Emissions Reduction Symposium (ANERS), a 
high-level, multidisciplinary technical forum that brings together 
leading engineers, scientists, government and civil aviation offi- 
cials, corporate entities and policymakers to discuss topics and 
issues of aircraft noise and emissions reduction. The symposium 
rotates between France and the United States. 

In 2012 in Tours, 3AF hosted the AIAA International Space 
Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technology Conference. 

A new business model was put in place on that occasion. 3AF 
organized the conference. AIAA provided the use of its abstract/ 
manuscript management and registration systems, as well as 
marketing and registration support, in addition to publishing the 
conference proceedings. 

... collaboration has been ongoing between the two associa- 
tions since their creation. Currently AIAA has 265 professional 
members from France, including 19 Associate Fellows, 6 Fellows 
and 2 Honorary Fellows: Jean-Pierre Marec (2003) and Pierre 
Betin (2004). There are also 5 French corporate members, and 
47 student members. AIAA Technical Committees include 20 
French members. ...Over the years, the number of French attend- 
ees and French paper presentations at AIAA technical confer- 
ences was the most significant among non-U. S. participation. 

On the international scene, AIAA and 3AF delegations to the 
general assemblies of the International Astronautical Federation 
and the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences 
always consulted each other when decisions needed to be made 
regarding the future of these two international organizations. 


JPS: Who are the AAAF personalities who have played a sig- 
nificant role in the history of our relationship? 

MG: Besides the presidents, executive directors and secretar- 
ies of the two associations, the four persons who have played a 
most significant role, in my opinion, are Marcel Pouliquen, Jean- 
Michel Contant, Pierre Betin and Christian Mari. Each one in his 
own way, made very important contributions to the development 
of the relationship over a period of many years. 

Marcel Pouliquen, responsible for space affairs at SEP, then 
SNECMA, was one the first French members of the AIAA Space 
Transportation Technical Committee (STTC). He arranged the 
first visit of STTC members to France. He was particularly active 
in encouraging promising young French professionals to join 
AIAA TCs. He organized numerous internships and exchanges 
of student members between the two countries. 

As Secretary General for 10 years and then Vice President 
on the 3AF Bureau, Jean-Michel Contant strongly encouraged 
bilateral cooperation between the two associations, leading to the 
MOU, to the joint conferences, and to the Annonay celebration. 

He has been an active member and participant in the discussions 
of the AIAA International Activities Committee. He has been a 
long-time member of the Editorial Board of Aerospace America. 

Pierre Betin played a unique role in initiating and organizing 
many contacts between French and U.S. aerospace industry 
executives within the framework of AIAA and 3AF. He fostered 
French attendance and presentation of papers at AIAA confer- 
ences. Together with 3AF and AIAA, he organized a visit of U.S. 
aerospace leadership to French industrial companies and gov- 
ernment organizations in 1999. He was the first non-U. S. mem- 
ber of the AIAA Board of Directors and the Institute Development 
Committee. For the past 15 years, he has been a member of 
the AIAA Fellows Selection Committee and then the Honorary 
Fellows Selection Committee. 

Christian Mari, Vice President, Recherche et Technologie 
at Messier-Dowty-Bugatti, and 3AF Vice President, is now the 
liaison between the two associations on the AIAA International 
Activities Committee. He was an active member of the AIAA 
Board of Directors, and served two terms as Director-at-Large, 
International, from 2004 to 2010. 

JPS: What role did you personally play in the development of 
AAAF-AIAA relationship? 

MG: I was very instrumental in the creation of the AIAA 
International Activities Committee at a time when collaboration 
and cooperation were not quite “the norm of the day” between 
the two countries. I played a proactive role within this Committee 
which includes U.S. and non-U. S. members whose vision was 
to develop cooperation and collaboration with sister associations 
and global outreach. 

JPS: Some outstanding events of this cooperation? 

MG: The key one ... is the signing of the [MOU]. 

The Propulsion Tour of 1999 was also one of these out- 
standing events. As Directeur General Adjoint, SNECMA, at 
the time, Pierre Betin played a prominent role. Fifteen leaders 
of the U.S. aerospace community, led by E.C “Pete” Aldridge, 

Jr. and Robert L. “Bob” Crippen, came to France ... to visit a 
number of French institutions including SNECMA, SEP, SNPE 
and CNRS.... 

Another significant event was the First Historic Site com- 
memoration in the city of the Montgolfier brothers in Annonay, 
France in 2002. Joseph and Etienne captured the world’s imagi- 
nation with their first balloon flight from the Place des Cordeliers 
in 1783. The AIAA History Committee and 3AF jointly organized 
the event.... 

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Association 
Aeronautique et Astronautique de France, let us wish that coop- 
eration will continue to flourish for many years to come. 


B8 AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2014 


AlAABulletin 


NATERER APPOINTED AS NEW EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 
OF THE JOURNAL OF THERMOPHYSICS AND HEAT 
TRANSFER 

On 30 September 2014, AIAA President 
Jim Albaugh formally appointed Dr. Greg 
Naterer as editor-in-chief of the Journal of 
Thermophysics and Heat Transfer ( JTHT ) . 

Currently Dr. Naterer is dean of the 
faculty of engineering and applied science 
and professor of mechanical engineer- 
ing at Memorial University, St. John’s, 

Newfoundland, Canada. He holds a 
B.Math. degree from the University of 
Waterloo in Applied Mathematics, and 
M.A.SC and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Waterloo in 
Mechanical Engineering. His research interests include heat 
transfer, convection, conduction, multiphase flows, hydrogen 
production, energy conversion, and microfluidics and nanotech- 
nology for advanced energy systems. 

Dr. Naterer fosters teaching and research excellence in a 
department that is experiencing tremendous growth. He has 
been lauded as a significant contributor to the development 
of Canada’s next generation of engineers and a tremendous 
contributor to the content and quality of research in his field. 
Along with his teaching responsibilities, Naterer has served as 
principal investigator on numerous grants and contracts and is 
the author of several patents related to hydrogen production. 
Preceding his appointment at Memorial University in 2012, 
Naterer was on the faculty of engineering and applied science at 
the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. 

An Associate Editor for JTHT since 2007, Naterer worked 
rigorously to ensure that accepted manuscripts met the high- 
est standards of quality. He has a strong scholarly record in 
heat transfer, energy systems, and fluid mechanics, contributing 
to journals, conferences, and books. He is an AIAA Associate 
Fellow who has made significant contributions to the AIAA 
Thermophysics Committee for more than two decades, including 
serving as Chair from 2012 to 2014. He is a frequent thermo- 
physics session chair at conferences, and he has served as con- 
ference and technical program chair for several of AlAA’s forums. 

Dr. Naterer was selected from a competitive pool of appli- 
cants, and becomes only the second editor of JTHT and also 
the first editor-in-chief of one of AlAA’s journals from outside the 
United States. The Journal of Thermophysics and Heat Transfer 
grew out of efforts by the Thermophysics TC to increase the 
number of thermophysics papers published in AlAA’s journals. 
The journal was approved in 1986, and the first issue was pub- 
lished in January 1987; the founding editor, Prof. Al Crosbie, 
served as editor-in-chief continuously from 1987 to 2014. Since 
its inception, JTHT has been devoted to research that deals 
with the properties and mechanisms involved in thermal energy 
transfer and storage in gases, liquids, and solids. 

During the editor search process, many enthusiastic recom- 
menders noted Naterer’s tireless support of AIAA over the years 
and his many technical accomplishments in the field. Looking 
toward the future, it is clear that Dr. Naterer’s demonstrated 
commitment to the journal and to his profession will serve to 
enhance the quality, rigor, and reach of JTHT 


To submit articles to the AIAA Bulletin, contact your Section, 
Committee, Honors and Awards, Events, Precollege, or 
Student staff liaison. They will review and forward the infor- 
mation to the AIAA Bulletin Editor. See the AIAA Directory on 
page B1 for contact information. 



Aerospace 
Spotlight 
Awards Gala 

Please celebrate with esteemed guests and colleagues 
when the American Institute of Aeronautics and 
Astronautics recognizes individuals and teams for 
outstanding contributions that make the world safer, 
more connected, and more prosperous. 

Wednesday, 6 May 2015 

Reception: 1 830 hrs 
Dinner and Awards: 1 930 hrs 
Attire: Black Tie or Mess Dress 

Ronald Reagan Building and 
International Trade Center 
Washington, D.C. 

Presentation of Awards 

• AIAA Fellows and Honorary Fellows 

• AIAA Foundation Award for Excellence 

• Distinguished Service Award 

• Goddard Astronautics Award 

• International Cooperation Award 

• Public Service Award 

• Reed Aeronautics Award 

• Daniel Guggenheim Medal 

• AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Awards 

• AIAA National Capital Section Barry M. 
Goldwater Educator Award 

This event is organized according to government 
directives. Government guest selection, invitation, 
and seating will be administered solely by AIAA in 
accordance with government policy. 

Visit www.aiaa.org/gala2015 to reserve your table 
or seat. 

JkMJkJk. 





AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2014 B9 






AIAA News 


AIAA HEADQUARTERS WELCOMES INAUGURAL 
NORRIS SPACE VIEW INTERNS 

Alexander “Al” Norris was an aerospace engineer whose 
37-year career— like many AIAA members of his generation- 
spanned the ups and downs that came with the extraordinary 
evolution and growth 
of the aerospace 
industry in the 20th 
century. Born in 
1914, Norris grew 
up in Brooklyn, New 
York. He attended 
New York University, 
graduating with a 
bachelor of science 
in mechanical engi- 
neering (1936) and 
master of science in 
engineering (1939). 

On the eve of World 
War II, Norris began 
working as an aircraft 
designer and stress 
engineer. His career 
took him from the propeller age to the jet age, and then into the 
space age. His resume included storied names like Republic 
Aircraft, Chase Aircraft, McDonnell Douglas, and Grumman 
Aircraft. He contributed to the U.S. Navy’s development programs 
to design aircraft compatible with extreme polar environments. 

In Gibraltar and North Africa he helped reconstruct wreckage 
after aircraft disasters. His work with the Navy earned him the 
Meritorious Civilian Service Award for his expertise. His long 
career and numerous professional achievements were crowned 
with his work as a Senior Design Engineer on the design for the 
prototype of the hatch and contributing to the landing gear design 
of the Lunar Excursion Module. 

In August 2013, Laurie Norris, the daughter of the late 
Alexander R. Norris, contacted AIAA to propose a directed gift to 
the AIAA Foundation to fund two undergraduate internships over 
the next five years in memory of her father, ultimately establish- 
ing the Alexander R. Norris Space View Internships. 

Laurie, along with her late husband Clarence Pearson, estab- 
lished a number of internships honoring her family and reflect- 
ing their passions and interests. She felt AIAA and the AIAA 
Foundation were a natural fit for internships to honor her father 
and his career in aerospace, and to help the generation of engi- 
neers learn about the aerospace industry first hand. “I selected 
AIAA to administer this internship in my father’s name because of 
AlAA’s mission and program fostering aerospace ingenuity and 
collaboration, which reflect my father’s own professional career 
and commitment to aerospace,” said Norris. “We are so apprecia- 
tive of Laurie and Clarence’s generosity,” said Sandy Magnus, 
AIAA executive director and AIAA Foundation president. “Without 
their gift, this program would not be possible at this time. We look 
forward to the years ahead in fulfilling the goals of the internship 
and giving undergraduate students the opportunity to learn about 
all that the aerospace industry has to offer.” 

The interns will be working 7-10 hours a week from 
September to May at AIAA Headquarters in Reston, Virginia, lim- 
iting the program is limited to students from the accredited engi- 
neering programs in metropolitan Washington, DC. Recruitment 
began in early summer and the final evaluation and selection of 
candidates was completed in late September. The University of 
Maryland, College Park dominated the initial applicant pool, but 
AIAA did receive applicants from George Mason and Catholic 
universities as well. Next year, the goal is to have applicants 
from all seven eligible universities and colleges in the area. 



Laurie and Alexander Norris 




The 2014-2015 Alexander R. Norris Space View Interns are 
Samantha “Sam” Walters and Nathan Wasserman from the 
University of Maryland, James A. Clark School of Engineering, 
Department of Aerospace Engineering. Both Sam and Nathan are 
seniors and come to AIAA with outstanding academic records, 
great community involvement, and early career accomplishments. 

Sam led the University of Maryland AIAA Student Branch 
last year (2013-2014), something unusual for a junior. Her 
faculty advisor praised her ability to organize and reinvigorate 

the student branch and position it 
for continued growth and success. 
Sam has a passion for building 
a viable aerospace community 
and she looks forward to learning 
how AIAA operates at the profes- 
sional level. She has completed 
two summer internships at the 
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 
first as the Mars Exploration Rover 
Engineering and Sequencing 
Support intern (2013) and as Mars 
Science Laboratory Operations 
intern (2014). She has also served 
as an undergraduate research assistant since 2012. In addition 
to pursuing her bachelors of science in aerospace engineer- 
ing (BSAE), she is minoring in creative writing. When asked 
about her expectations from this experience, Sam said, “I hope 
to learn more about what it really means to be a professional 
aerospace engineer. In school, I learn the equations and theory 
behind the work that I will be doing once I graduate, but I know 
very little about the profession itself. I hope to take the network- 
ing skills, knowledge of policy, and any other real-world experi- 
ences that I gain from this internship, and use them in my future 
career, as I transition from a student to a young professional in 
the aerospace engineering community.” 

Nathan is equally active academically and in the community 
and is pursuing his BSAE and taking courses in engineering lead- 
ership. Nathan held summer internships with Jacobs Engineering 

as a data collector (2011), a year- 
long internship with FlexEI LLC (a 
privately funded spin-out company 
from the University of Maryland) 
where he was a senior engineer- 
ing intern (2012-2013), and with 
Sikorsky Aircraft. Following his sum- 
mer internship as ground test co-op 
engineer (2013) with Sikorsky, 
Nathan made the difficult decision to 
delay his senior year and continue 
in a full-time position as a risk man- 
ager (2013-2014) with Sikorsky. In 
addition, Nathan is a teaching assis- 
tant with UMD’s Women in Engineering Flexus Program (2014), 
an official with UMD Campus Recreation and Sports (201 1- 
2014), and a teaching assistant for the Johns Hopkins Center 
for Talented Youth (2014). He is also a leader in the UMD Hillel 
center helping to organize the Repair the World Alternative Break 
program, which helps students explore and combat emerging 
achievement and education gaps in America. Nathan is looking 
forward to connecting with “current students and young profes- 
sionals to AIAA in ways never done before. I am looking forward 
to playing a role in integrating the new generation of aerospace 
professionals with AIAA and all it has to offer.” 

Sam and Nathan will work on a variety projects throughout the 
year with the goal of interacting with each of AlAA’s major HQ 
divisions. They will support and attend AIAA SciTech 2015, and 
will report on their experience at various times through the AIAA 
Bulletin, AIAA Momentum, and AlAA’s social media platforms. 



BIO AIM BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2014 



^^AlAABulletin 


AIAA ATLANTA SECTION HOSTS TALK 

On 23 September, the AIAA Atlanta Section hosted Simon Pickup, Strategic Marketing Director, Airbus Americas Sales, Inc. Mr. Pickup 
discussed recent restructuring of EADS into the Airbus Group, comprised of three divisions, Airbus, Airbus Defense & Space, and 
Airbus Helicopters. Mr. Pickup elaborated on the Airbus Division’s development of A320neo and A350 models to compete with recent 
Boeing offerings. He presented the impressive number of over 14,000 Airbus orders since the delivery of the first A300 in 1974. The 
student members attending from Georgia Tech and Southern Polytechnic State University received scale models of the A350. 



Simon Pickup With AIAA Student Branch Leaders (from left to right): Rohan Deshmukh (Georgia Tech Secretary), Hasan Tawab (Georgia Tech Vice- 
Chair), Josue Cristancho (Founding Chair, Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) Student Branch), Jefferey lllg (SPSU Chair), Ken Khamphoumy 
(SPSU Vice-Chair), Simon Pickup, Aaron Johnson (SPSU), Divanny Pena (SPSU), Elizabeth Balga (Georgia Tech Chair). 





WKB 


"FOCUSING ON 


FOR CIVIL 


REGISTRATION OPEN NQWl OjJkiJkA, Hi 


GREATER HUNTSVILLE SECTION i 

Amencen Institute of Aeronautics end Astroneutics 


www.civilspace.org 


f www.facebook.com/CivilSpaceSymposiumAIAA V @CivilSpaceHSV 


AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2014 B1 1 


AIM News 



The 2014 Reuben H. Fleet Scholarship recipients (left to right): Jennifer Rhymer (AIAA San Diego Section Chair), Deepak Atyam (UCSD), 
Jin Oh (UCSD), Alex Fleet (grandson of Reuben H. Fleet), Robert Bertino (UCSD), Juan Avila (SDSU), Robin Felver (UCSD), Greg Marien 
(Scholarship Coordinator), Jennifer Wood (not pictured). 


REUBEN H. FLEET SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED BY THE SAN DIEGO SECTION IN MAY 

At the AIAA San Diego Section Honors and Awards Banquet on 15 May, the AIAA San Diego Section Reuben H. Fleet Scholarships 
were awarded. Since 1983, 165 students have received the scholarship, which is made possible by the Reuben H. Fleet Foundation at 
The San Diego Foundation. 




For more information and requirements, please 
visit http://www.aiaa.org/Honors or 
contact Patricia A. Carr, Program Manager, 
Membership Advancement Program, at 

triciac@aiaa.org or 703.264.7523 


The distinction you gain with 
each membership advancement 
earns the respect of your peers 
and employer - and bolsters your 
reputation throughout the industry. 

AIAA Members who have accomplished or 
been in charge of important engineering or 
scientific work and who have made notable 
valuable contributions to the arts, sciences, 
or technology of aeronautics or astronautics 
are encouraged to apply. 

ASSOCIATE FELLOW 

Accepting Nomination Packages: 

1 5 December 2014-15 April 201 5 

FELLOW 

Accepting Nomination Packages: 

1 January 201 5-15 June 201 5 

HONORARY FELLOW 

Accepting Nominations Packages: 

1 January 2015 - 15 June 2015 

SENIOR MEMBER 

Accepting Online Nominations monthly 


^ 4144 , 

Shaping the Future of Aerospace 


B12 AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2014 




lAABulletin 


OBITUARIES 

AIAA Fellow Marble Died in August 

Frank E. Marble died on 1 1 August. He was 96. 

Dr. Marble helped develop innovations that made rockets more 
efficient and dampened the noise generated by the turbines in 
jet engines. He also trained generations of scientists at JPL and 
Caltech, where he continued working well after his 1989 retire- 
ment as a professor of mechanical engineering and jet propulsion. 

Marble received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the 
Case Institute of Technology. During World War II, he worked 
in a government lab, and in 1948, he received his doctorate in 
aeronautics and mathematics from Caltech. 

Dr. Marble served on committees advising NATO, NASA, and 
the U.S. Air Force, and he was a visiting professor at Cornell, 
MIT, among others. Marble’s contributions were recognized 
with the Daniel Guggenheim Medal, the AIAA Wright Brothers 
Lectureship in Aeronautics, and the AIAA Plasmadynamics and 
Lasers Award. 

AIAA Senior Member Hinners Died in September 

Noel Hinners died on 5 September. He was 78 years old. 

Hinners studied geology at Rutgers University. He pursued 
geochemistry as a master’s student at Caltech, before attending 
Princeton for a Ph.D. in geophysics and geochemistry. 

In 1963 Dr. Hinners accepted a job at Bellcomm in 
Washington, DC, a major contractor for the Apollo program. 

He led the effort to select Apollo lunar landing sites and helped 
develop lunar field geology for Apollo and train astronauts for it. 

Dr. Hinners joined NASA in 1972 as director of lunar pro- 
grams. Promoted to associate administrator for space science, 
he championed planetary research. He left NASA in 1979 to 
become the first scientist to run the new National Air and Space 
Museum, focusing on the intellectual scope of the curatorial 
departments and greater attention to the space sciences. 

He returned to NASA in 1982 as director of Goddard Space 
Flight Center and later became the agency’s first associate dep- 
uty administrator and chief scientist. After leaving NASA in 1989, 
he joined Martin Marietta, where he took part in a wide range of 
planetary mission activities until his retirement in 2002. 


AIAA Fellow Tiffany Died in October 

Charles (Chuck) F. Tiffany, 84, died on 12 October. 

He attended Macalester College and the University of 
Minnesota, and received degrees in civil engineering and math- 
ematics. Shortly after, he joined the Boeing Aircraft Company in 
Seattle as a stress analyst. 

Though Mr. Tiffany’s career with Boeing (28 years) and the 
U.S. Air Force (eight years), he progressed to executive vice- 
president of the Boeing Military Airplane Company. After retiring 
from Boeing in 1988, he was a private consultant on aircraft and 
aerospace vehicle structures for the Air Force, the Department of 
Defense, NASA, FAA, National Academy of Engineering (NAE), 
National Research Council, among others. 

Tiffany’s area of expertise was airframe and propulsion struc- 
tural design and damage tolerance. He led the development of 
new structural standards and specifications for improving aircraft 
safety and durability. He received numerous awards and honors, 
including the Von Karman Memorial Award, ASME’s “The Spirit 
of St. Louis Medal,” the John W. Lincoln Award, the FAA Gold 
Medal, and the AIAA Structures, Material and Dynamics Award. 

Mr. Tiffany’s work was captured in numerous technical papers 
and reports, including most recently, “Aging of U.S. Air Force 
Aircraft” and “Threats to Aircraft Structural Safety, Including a 
Compendium of Selected Structural Accidents/Incidents.” 

AIAA Associate Fellow Knemeyer Died in October 

Franklin H. Knemeyer, a pioneer in naval aviation science, 
died on 15 October. He was 92 years old. 

Mr. Knemeyer studied aeronautics at the California Institute of 
Technology. He graduated in 1944 and continued at Cal Tech for 
his master’s degree (1948). He also served as a naval aviation 
ordnance officer during World War II. 

Mr. Knemeyer began working for NASA Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory, which in turn led to a 34-year career at the Naval 
Ordinance Test Station (Naval Weapons Center), China Lake, 
CA. Under his leadership were many accomplishments in sci- 
ence and engineering related to weapons development. Among 
his awards were the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award, 
the Navy’s highest award to a civilian, the Navy’s Meritorious 
Civilian Service Award, and the L.T.E. Thompson Award. 


CALL FOR PAPERS FOR JOURNAL OF AEROSPACE 
INFORMATION SYSTEMS 

Special Issue on Optimal Decision Making in Aerospace 
Systems 

The Journal of Aerospace Information Systems is devoted to the 
applied science and engineering of aerospace computing, infor- 
mation, and communication. Original archival research papers are 
sought that include significant scientific and technical knowledge 
and concepts. The Journal publishes qualified papers in areas 
such as aerospace systems and software engineering; verifica- 
tion and validation of embedded systems; the field known as “big 
data,” data analytics, machine learning, and knowledge manage- 
ment for aerospace systems; human-automation interaction; and 
systems health management for aerospace systems. Applications 
of autonomous systems, systems engineering principles, and 
safety and mission assurance are of particular interest. Articles 
are sought that demonstrate the application of recent research in 
computing, information, and communications technology to a wide 
range of practical aerospace problems in the analysis and design 
of vehicles, onboard avionics, ground-based processing and con- 
trol systems, flight simulation, and air transportation systems. 

Information about the organizers of this special issue as well 
as guidelines for preparing your manuscript can be found in the 
full Call for Papers in Aerospace Research Central (ARC); arc. 
aiaa.org. The journal website is http://arc.aiaa.org/loi/jais. 


This special issue will focus on algorithms for optimal deci- 
sion making in aerospace systems. In many complex aerospace 
applications, systems must interact with dynamic environments, 
be robust to uncertainty in sensor information, and reliably bal- 
ancing safety and efficiency. Recent advances in decision theo- 
retic optimization have shown tremendous promise in addressing 
the challenges of engineering such systems. 

Key research areas in the special issue include: 

• Decision theoretic models: MDPs, POMDPs 

• Multi-agent systems: MMDPs, Dec-POMDPs, POSGs, i-POM- 
DPs 

• Solution methods: dynamic programming, online planning, 
robust optimization 

• Approximation techniques: structured approaches, Monte 
Carlo methods, dimensionality reduction, linearization 

• Learning algorithms and adaptive methods 

• Application domains: decision support for air traffic control, 
mission planning, unmanned aircraft, autonomous spacecraft, 
etc. 

• Verification and validation methods for decision-making systems 


Deadline : Submissions are due by 15 December 2014. 
Anticipated Publication Date: May 2015. 

Contact Email: Mykel Kochenderfer, mykel@stanford.edu 


AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2014 B13 



AIAA News 


CALL FOR NOMINATIONS 

Nominations are being accepted for the following awards, 
and must be received at AIAA Headquarters no later than 1 
February. Any AIAA member in good standing may serve as a 
nominator and are urged to carefully read award guidelines to 
view nominee eligibility, page limits, letters of endorsement, etc. 

AIAA members may submit nominations online after logging 
into www.aiaa.org with their user name and password. You will 
be guided step-by-step through the nomination entry. If preferred, 
a nominator may submit a nomination by completing the AIAA 
nomination form, which can be downloaded from www.aiaa.org. 

Aerospace Power Systems Award 

This award is presented for a significant contribution in the 
broad field of aerospace power systems, specifically as related 
to the application of engineering sciences and systems engi- 
neering to the production, storage, distribution, and processing 
of aerospace power. 

Air Breathing Propulsion Award 

This award is presented for meritorious accomplishment in 
the science of air breathing propulsion, including turbomachinery 
or any other technical approach dependent on atmospheric air 
to develop thrust, or other aerodynamic forces for propulsion, or 
other purposes for aircraft or other vehicles in the atmosphere or 
on land or sea. 

Daniel Guggenheim Medal 

The industry-renowned Daniel Guggenheim Medal honors 
those who make notable achievements in the advancement of 
aeronautics. AIAA, ASME, SAE, and AHS sponsor the award. 

Energy Systems Award 

This award is presented for a significant contribution in the 
broad field of energy systems, specifically as related to the appli- 
cation of engineering sciences and systems engineering to the 
production, storage, distribution, and conservation of energy. 

George M. Low Space Transportation Award 

This award is presented for a timely outstanding contribution 
to the field of space transportation. (Presented even years) 

Haley Space Flight Award 

This award recognizes outstanding contributions by an astro- 
naut or flight test personnel to the advancement of the art, sci- 
ence, or technology of astronautics. (Presented even years) 

J. Leland Atwood Award 

This award is given to an aerospace engineering educator to 
recognize outstanding contributions to the profession. AIAA and 
ASEE sponsor the award. Note: Nominations should be submit- 
ted to ASEE (www.asee.org) no later than 15 January. 

Missile Systems Award— Technical Award 

This award is given for a significant accomplishment in devel- 
oping or using technology that is required for missile systems. 

Missile Systems Award — Management Award 

This award is presented for a significant accomplishment in 
the management of missile systems programs. 

Propellants and Combustion Award 

This award is presented for outstanding technical contribu- 
tions to aeronautical or astronautical combustion engineering. 

Space Automation and Robotics Award 

This award recognizes leadership and technical contributions 
by individuals and teams in the field of space automation and 
robotics. (Presented odd years) 


Space Science Award 

This award is given to an individual for demonstrated leader- 
ship of innovative scientific investigations associated with space 
science missions. (Presented even years) 

Space Operations and Support Award 

This award is presented for outstanding efforts in overcoming 
space operations problems and assuring success, and recogniz- 
es those teams or individuals whose exceptional contributions 
were critical to an anomaly recovery, crew rescue, or space fail- 
ure. (Presented odd years) 

Space Processing Award 

This award is presented for significant contributions in space 
processing or in furthering the use of microgravity for space pro- 
cessing. (Presented odd years) 

Space Systems Award 

This award recognizes outstanding achievements in the archi- 
tecture, analysis, design, and implementation of space systems. 

von Braun Award for Excellence in Space Program 

Management 

This award gives recognition to an individual(s) for outstanding 
contributions in the management of a significant space or space- 
related program or project. 

William Littlewood Memorial Lecture 

The lecture, sponsored by AIAA and SAE, focuses on a broad 
phase of civil air transportation considered of current interest 
and major importance. Nominations should be submitted by 1 

February to SAE at www.sae.org/news/awards/list/littlewood. 

Wright Brothers Lectureship in Aeronautics 

The Wright Brothers Lectureship in Aeronautics emphasizes 
significant advances in aeronautics by recognizing major leaders 
and contributors. (Presented odd years) 

Wyld Propulsion Award 

This award is presented for outstanding achievement in the 
development or application of rocket propulsion systems. 

For more information, contact Carol Stewart, Manager, AIAA 
Honors and Awards, carols@aiaa.org or 703.264.7623. 


Seeking New Members 

The Aircraft Operations Technical Committee is being 
reinvented and is actively seeking new members. If you 
would like to contribute to air transportation operations in 
the United States and beyond, please contact the commit- 
tee chair, Karen Marais, at kmarais@purdue.edu. 

This year marked the first full year that the new Spacecraft 
Structures Technical Committee has operated in place of 
the former Gossamer Spacecraft Program Committee. This 
new technical committee is focused on the unique challeng- 
es associated with structural systems that operate in space- 
based environments. This committee is seeking candidates 
from academic, industry, and government organizations who 
are actively involved in the development, application, and/ 
or promotion of spacecraft structural systems that operate 
in space-based environments. This committee is particularly 
interested in the challenges of design, analysis, fabrication, 
and testing of those lightweight structural systems that can 
be ground tested only in a simulated zero gravity condition, 
and are subjected to launch loads, deployment loads, and 
the space environment. For more information, see https:// 
info.aiaa.org/tac/adsg/SCSTC/default.aspx, 


B14 AIM BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2014 




lAABulletin 


Upcoming AIAA Continuing Education Courses 

Workshop and Courses at AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition 2015 (AIAA SciTech 2015) 

www.aiaa-scitech.org/ContinuingEd 

3-4 January 2015 

Aircraft and Rotorcraft System Identification: Engineering Methods and Hands-On Training Using CIFER® 

Instructor: Dr. Mark B. Tischler 

The objectives of this two-day short course is to 1) review the fundamental methods of aircraft and rotorcraft system identification and 
illustrate the benefits of their broad application throughout the flight vehicle development process; and 2) provide the attendees with an 
intensive hands-on training of the CIFER® system identification, using flight test data and 10 extensive lab exercises. Students work 
on comprehensive laboratory assignments using student version of software provided to course participants (requires student to bring 
NT laptop). The many examples from recent aircraft programs illustrate the effectiveness of this technology for rapidly solving difficult 
integration problems. The course will review key methods and computational tools, but will not be overly mathematical in content. The 
course is highly recommended for graduate students, practicing engineers, and managers. 

Key Topics 

• Overview of system identification methods and applications 

• Flight testing and instrumentation for handling-qualities and manned/unmanned control system development 

• Simulation model fidelity analysis and design model extraction from prototype flight testing 

• Flight test validation and optimization of aircraft dynamics and control 

• Hands-on training in system identification training using CIFER® 

• Students work on 10 comprehensive labs on model identification and verification using flight test data 

Who Should Attend 

The course is intended for practicing engineers and graduate students interested in learning the principles and applications of 
system identification for aircraft and rotorcraft. The course assumes some basic knowledge of the concepts of: dynamics, frequency- 
responses, transfer functions, and state-space representations. The course is not highly mathematical and no experience with other 
tools is a prerequisite. 


3-4 January 2015 

Best Practices in Wind Tunnel Testing 

Instructors: David Cahill, Mark Melanson, and Allen Arrington 

This course provides an overview of important concepts that are used in many wind tunnel test projects. The course is based largely on 
AIAA standards documents that focus on ground testing concepts. In particular, the course will address project management aspects of 
executing a testing project, the use and calibration of strain gage balances, the use of measurement uncertainty in ground testing, and 
the calibration of wind tunnels. 

Key Topics 

• Wind tunnel test processes 

• Measurement uncertainty analysis for wind tunnel testing 

• Internal strain gage balances for wind tunnel testing 

• Aero-thermal calibration of wind tunnels 

Who Should Attend 

The course is designed for engineers who are involved with ground testing, particularly wind tunnel testing. The course will be ben- 
eficial to all levels of ground test engineers; it could be a primer for engineers new to testing but also will be of value to senior engineers 
as it will include lessons learned that can be directly applied by test project leaders. 

3-4 January 2015 

Third International Workshop on High-Order CFD Methods 

Workshop Co-Chairs: H. T. Huynh and Norbert Kroll 

High-order numerical methods for unstructured meshes offer a promising route to solving complex industrial fluid flow problems by com- 
bining superior accuracy with geometric flexibility. The 3rd International Workshop on High-Order CFD Methods is being organized by a 
committee of 21 international members co-chaired by H. T. Huynh of NASA Glenn Research Center and Norbert Kroll of DLR. 

Workshop Objectives 

• To provide an open and impartial forum for evaluating the status of high-order methods (order of accuracy > 2) in solving a wide 
range of flow problems 

• To assess the performance of high-order methods through comparison to production 2nd order CFD codes widely used in the 
aerospace industry with well-defined metrics 

• To identify pacing items in high-order methods needing additional research and development in order to proliferate in the CFD 
community 

The workshop is open to participants all over the world. To be considered as speakers, participants need to complete at least one 
sub-case. 


AIM BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2014 B1 5 


AIM Courses and Training Program 


A number of fellowships will be provided by Army Research Office (ARO) and NASA to pay registration fees for undergraduate and 
graduate students to attend the workshop and present their work. If you are interested in applying for this registration waiver, please 
contact H. T. Huynh at huynh@grc.nasa.gov. For more information, please visit the https://www.grc.nasa.gov/hiocfd/. 

4 January 2015 

Introduction to Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) 

Instructor: Dr. Vasisht Venkatesh 

Designed to provide an overview of integrated computational materials engineering (ICME), this course offers a primer on the various 
types of models and simulation methods involved in ICME. It is aimed at providing a general understanding of the critical issues relative 
to ICME, with the goal of increasing participants’ knowledge of materials and process modeling capabilities and limitations. The impor- 
tant aspects of linking materials models with process models and subsequently to component design and behavior analysis models will 
be reviewed. 

Key Topics 

• Obtain awareness of ICME as an emerging technology area 

• Understand general models and simulation methods involved in ICME 

• Articulate critical issues/challenges with ICME 

• Build awareness of materials and process modeling capabilities and limitations 

• Understand important aspects of linking material models with process models and their integration into component design and 
behavior analysis. 

Who Should Attend 

This course is aimed at materials, mechanical design, and manufacturing engineers; program managers; and engineering manage- 
ment looking to introduce or apply ICME methods in the future. This course will not provide hands-on training, but rather will provide an 
appreciation for the types of models available, their benefits, and how various model outputs should be interpreted. 

8-9 January 2015 

Fundamentals and Applications of Modem Flow Control 

Instructors: Daniel Miller, Louis N. Cattafesta III, and Tony Washburn 

Modern passive and active flowfield control is a rapidly emerging field of significant technological importance to the design and capabil- 
ity of a new generation of forthcoming air-vehicle systems, spawning major research initiatives in government, industry, and academic 
sectors of aeronautics. This completely revised two-day short course will address introductory fundamentals as well as several emerging 
air-vehicle applications of modern aerodynamic flowfield control techniques. The first day will cover a brief overview of the fundamentals 
of flow control, including basic concepts, terminology, history, strategies/techniques, actuators, sensors, modeling/simulation, and closed- 
loop control. The second day will cover applications of flow control to current and next-generation air vehicle systems, including vehicle 
propulsion integration, airfoil control, noise suppression, wake control, and some forthcoming non-aeronautical applications. A multi- 
institutional team of eight researchers from government, industry, and academia will cooperatively teach this course. 

Key Topics 

• Concepts, terminology, and history of flow control 

• Flow control strategies 

• Actuators and sensors 

• Modeling and simulation techniques 

• Closed-loop flow control 

• Air vehicle applications: propulsion, airfoil, dynamic flowfield, non-aero apps 


Course at AIAA Defense and Security Forum 2015 (AIAA DEFENSE 2015) 
www.aiaa-defense.org/ContinuingEd 

8-9 March 2015 

Overview of Missile Design and System Engineering 

This course provides an overview of missile design and system engineering. A system-level, integrated method is provided for missile 
design, technologies, development, analysis, and system engineering activities in addressing requirements such as cost, performance, 
risk, and launch platform integration. The methods presented are generally simple closed-form analytical expressions that are physics- 
based, to provide insight into the primary driving parameters. Sizing examples are presented for rocket-powered, ramjet-powered, and 
turbo-jet powered baseline missiles as well as guided bombs. Typical values of missile parameters and the characteristics of current 
operational missiles are discussed as well as the enabling subsystems and technologies for missiles and the current/projected state of 
the art. Videos illustrate missile development activities and performance. Attendees will receive a copy of the course notes. 

Key Topics 

• Key drivers in the missile propulsion design and system engineering process 

• Critical tradeoffs, methods, and technologies in propulsion system sizing to meet flight performance and other requirements 

• Launch platform-missile integration 

• Sizing examples for missile propulsion 

• Missile propulsion system and technology development process 


B16 AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2014 




AIAA Progress in 
Astronautics and Aeronautics 


AlAA's popular book series Progress in Astronautics and 
Aeronautics features books that present a particular, well- 
defined subject reflecting advances in the fields of aerospace 
science, engineering, and/or technology. 



Iurtitol SKflUgit 
Ms site 

whm* 


POPULAR TITLES 


Tactical and Strategic Missile Guidance, Sixth Edition 

Paul Zarchan 

1026 pages 

This best-selling title provides an in-depth look at tactical and strategic missile guidance using 
common language, notation, and perspective. The sixth edition includes six new chapters 
on topics related to improving missile guidance system performance and understanding key 
design concepts and tradeoffs. 


ISBN: 978-1-60086-894-8 
List Price: $1 34.95 

AIAA Member Price: $104.95 


"AIAA Best Seler" 



ttcrpWrtg ftermpote 


Morphing Aerospace Vehicles and Structures 

John Valasek 

286 pages 

Morphing Aerospace Vehicles and Structures is a synthesis of the relevant disciplines and 
applications involved in the morphing of fixed wing flight vehicles. The book is organized 
into three major sections: Bio-Inspiration; Control and Dynamics; and Smart Materials 
and Structures. Most chapters are both tutorial and research-oriented in nature, covering 
elementary concepts through advanced - and in many cases novel - methodologies. 

isbn 978 -i - 60086 - 903 -7 "Features the work of leading researchers in 

AlAA^Member Price: $94.95 the field of nulling flight." 


12-0169_update_2 


Find these books and many more at arc.aiaa.org gj am a a 



I £014 Northrop Grumman Corporation 



■w 


WHEN THIS IS YOUR 
BACKYARD , YOU CAN’T 

help but Explore. 


* ’ When you've # been in space long 

•enough, you start to feel at home. 

■ * * 

* We’ve been pushing the limits of 
«•* ■ 1 w* rtM 

, ’what's possible out here sirtce the 

* r ■ 

dawn of the space age. For over 60 
^ * 
years, we at Northrop Grumman have 

.been igniting the flame for space 

exploration— inspiring generations , 

* . ■ # * 

to stop and look up. From building the 

i * ■ i , ■ ' 

lunar module thrat led to one small 

step for man, to realizing the global 

# . * , 

• # # , 

■ dream that Is the James Webb Space 

- * * * i 4 * * « V “ * 

Telescope, the Great Pyramid of our 
generation. We’ve been hfere all along, 

and we aren't going anywhere but up. 

* ’ - - - * 

WELCOME TO OUR • 

NEIGHBORHOOD. 

wvww.jnorthropgrumman.com/sp3CG 



> 

♦ 




* • t* 


■# 


* m * 


* THE VALUE OF PERFORMANCE. 

NORTHROP GRUMMAN 


' f *